You, Revisited
by Geniusgirl The Original
Summary: [DISCONTINUED] A single mistake cost Seto Kaiba one of the most precious things in his life. Now that he has a chance to regain it, will he have the courage to? And, more importantly, will it let him? ...Chapter 7. [SetoAnzu]
1. Missing Rain

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 1: Missing Rain**

_I ask why did I come again?  
Can I confess I've been hanging around your old address?  
The years have proved to offer nothing since you moved  
You're long gone  
But I can't move on  
And I miss you - like the deserts miss the rain  
And I miss you - like the deserts miss the rain  
And I miss you..._

**From: **Missing – Everything But The Girl

* * *

"Seto, hurry up. We're going to be late."

As much as he wished that were Mokuba's voice, it wasn't. In fact, if anything, he wished it had been anyone else's voice but hers – his fiancée's. It wasn't that he hated his fiancée; he simply didn't **love** her. It was that simple in his mind at least. But then again, he knew something that perhaps only two other people in the world knew. And even then, he doubted they would understand either.

Prolonging fixing his tie, Seto sighed at his reflection. Guilt was something he'd become accustomed to lately. He'd become used to a lot of emotion over the past few years. Quite much more than he had liked when he was, say, 16. But Fate – in conjunction with Life – the awful forces that they were, had a way of knowing just how to screw up perfect. The screw up in his life? He was going to marry it.

Suddenly, the door adjoining their rooms opened. He'd promised her brother they wouldn't share rooms on this trip – like every other trip. That didn't mean they didn't sleep together. Honestly though, he didn't think they would this time. Unless, of course, she made him. And she may just as well have – she was a sex starved little kitten indeed. Maybe it was just another of her faults born of having an over-protective older brother. Not as bad as having said big brother, but close.

She stood tapping one foot impatiently, arms crossed over a pastel-pink satin dress. Good God, how he hated that colour. It was her favourite. He hated any shade of it and she adored it. _Match made in Heaven?_ Yeah, right.

"Are you ready yet? You take longer than I do to get ready." She was a bossy-ass bitch too. But then again, his judgement at that moment was influenced by his irritation at everything in his life and how he'd let it all spin out of control. A perfectly functional existence had gone down the drain in five years. He scowled.

"I hate these things." He wasn't one to complain, it was simply a basic fact.

"I know." Compassion was something she always had ready yet, it was something that, even from her, he rarely accepted. "But you promised and we're going to be late."

He scowled again, threw his tie off (like they could tell him anything about it), and marched towards his door. He held it open and turned to see her checking her hair in his mirror. Irritation anew.

"_Let's go, Shizuka."_

* * *

The ride in the limo was silent. She knew better than to bother him when he got into one of these moods. She'd known that since the first day they'd gotten together. She had thought it was strange that Seto Kaiba, perhaps the person who hated her brother most in the world, would ever want anything to do with her.

Either way, she couldn't help but be drawn to him. Because, more than ever, she knew that Seto Kaiba had a secret. He'd had it before they'd started going out and she was still trying to figure out what it was. She'd learnt the truth about their past from Mokuba who, strangely, never seemed to like her much. But it was still there. Something she didn't know. Something she wanted to find out.

The night they had first encountered each other, they'd both been drunk and he had been irresistibly sexy. They'd slept together but he seemed interestingly reluctant. When next she saw him a month later, he looked as though everything had caved in around him. She'd never seen such a broken man. So she'd helped him. And one thing led to another and they were engaged.

What infuriated her, however, was the fact that, as much as she tried and tried, he'd never let a single word slip. She knew something had happened. He told her how he felt – as though his will to exist had deserted him. But he never told her what happened. Mokuba was as close-mouthed as a clam.

And now, even though they were engaged, her fiancé still held his secret. And lately, he seemed to retreat into it more and more. Thus, Shizuka found her curiosity unequivocally peaked.

_What are you hiding, Seto Kaiba? What causes your world to crash? What makes you cry? Why won't you tell me? Who was she?_

Shizuka frowned. That was unexpected. But the more she pondered the final question, the more it made sense. He had been reluctant to touch her until he'd had enough drinks. He'd been too skilled to be a virgin. And, most of all, he wouldn't tell her his secret because, in truth, he told no one. No one knew about Seto Kaiba's private life before she'd entered the scene. He'd never had a girlfriend, never been on dates. As far as anyone knew, Seto Kaiba could have well been gay before she came along. But she doubted it.

So the questions remained. Who could make Seto Kaiba love them so completely that when they left, his world would shatter? For some reason, she couldn't think of a single name. She'd never found a single piece of incriminating evidence of such a relationship but everything circumstantial added up. Even Mokuba's dislike of her made some amount of sense now.

If Shizuka had been the reason they had split, if whoever-she-was had found out about their night together, perhaps that was why she'd left him. All this weighed on Shizuka's mind until the limo pulled up in front of the elaborate hotel. She watched him open the door and step out onto the red carpet then turn and hold his hand out for her.

She accepted it and, as their eyes met, she wondered if she would have the same effect as the mystery woman if she left. When he turned his face as they started in, she got her answer.

_She didn't think so at all. _

* * *

The reception room was mainly red and gold, as one could expect when dealing with the Chinese. Seto still had no idea why he was there. He stood around for about half an hour answering reporters' questions and trying to dodge the more personal ones to which he had no answers, for example, _"When's the wedding, Mr Kaiba?"_ It was one of the more popular ones too.

Finally, away from the reporters and inside where he could easily find someway to hide while Shizuka socialized for the both of them, Seto grabbed the nearest available glass of wine and melted into the shadows. He kept his eyes trained on his fiancée. After all, even if he wasn't in love with her, others who realized that he wasn't hanging around couldn't take advantage of the opportunity. He knew she was capable and – maybe – even willing to partake of an illicit affair with one of his rivals. That was something he couldn't allow.

As he nursed his wine glass, he suddenly noticed that her face had lit up like a Christmas tree. What could she possibly be so happy about? Someone she knew, perhaps? Only someone special would warrant such an enthused look. So who was it?

He frowned when the person in question came into view. Devlin? She was that excited about Devlin? He tried to remember where she knew Devlin from then sighed. _Motou and crew_. Devlin had – for a limited period of time – been one of Motou's crew. If memory served him right, Devlin and the pointy-headed one (_what was his name? – Hirota)_ had been vying for Shizuka's affections.

How had he not remembered that? Oh yes, at that time, his attention had been focused elsewhere...at attaining something – someone – else. Seto snorted quietly. He seemed to have a penchant for this train of thought tonight. But he missed her sorely today...all of today. He had subconsciously noted that today marked exactly three years since their break up and five years since their naissance. Precise was something they always seemed to be.

He turned his attention back to Shizuka who was giggling at something Devlin had said. Snidely, Seto thought that if he wanted, Devlin could have her. Yet, it seemed he was already taken, since Shizuka was talking to someone on Duke's other side – someone Seto couldn't see. Kaiba continued to stare at his fiancée, mind blank but for one image. The song playing in the background was apt. He missed the girl in his head "...like the deserts miss the rain."

Then, Devlin said something that appeared to be an appeal for an excusal and moved. The person he'd been blocking was now in plain sight. She stood chatting lightly with Shizuka. She looked as though she didn't hold three years of malice towards his fiancée behind her smile. And Seto realised that he was looking at the picture in his head, only three years older.

Shizuka smiled brightly, sipping from her glass as Anzu Mazaki – the one and only love of Seto Kaiba's pathetic existence – gestured vaguely towards the entrance. _And, for the first time in five years, the desert that was Seto Kaiba's heart drank desperately of its beloved rain. _

* * *

**Author's Note: **Not sure how this came to be, but it is and so, I've decided to post it. It's Post Exam Stress Time [PEST] for me. Hope you enjoyed. I think there might be a chapter or two more...if I can manage. At least, I think we all know what the paring is. I am trying to not vilify Shizuka **too** much.

**Disclaimer (for series): **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song **Missing** by **Everything But The Girl**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. But get the song, it's old but I like it. You might too.

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCIVE CRITISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES. **


	2. Want You To Remember

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 2: Want You To Remember**

_I want you to remember  
A love so full it could send us all ways  
I want you to surrender  
All my feelings rose today..._

_...The chemicals between us  
The walls that lie between us..._

_...The chemicals displaced  
There is no lonelier state  
Than lying in this bed..._

**From:** Chemicals Between Us – Bush

* * *

"Excuse me."

Anzu smiled at Duke and Shizuka as she left. They nodded at her and continued their tête-à-tête. She had listened and commented infrequently but she had not been an integral part of the conversation and her loss would not greatly detract from it. She knew this. Anzu also knew that Shizuka and Duke had more to talk about together than with her. Those two – and Honda – had been a close trio, much like Yugi, Joey and herself.

She took a long drink of her wine, heading in the general direction of the Ladies' room. What she was going to do in there she had no idea, but it was as good a place to hide as any. And she knew she would have to find a secure hiding spot. For wherever Shizuka Jonouchi was, Seto Kaiba was sure to be soon after. And he was not someone she wanted to run into.

Quite suddenly she bumped into a tall figure and was infinitely glad that her glass was empty. At all costs, she wanted to avoid a scene. She murmured a quick "sorry" and hurried on, not paying attention to who the recipient of her apology was. However, just before she passed him, she caught a whiff of his cologne. She paused in mid-stride before shaking her head and continuing on.

_She remembered Safari all too well._

* * *

"Where were you hiding all night?"

Seto watched his fiancée's pink, diamond-crusted heels dangling from her fingers as she walked across the room. They had been a gift from him to her – one of many engagement presents. Of course, she had chosen them; they were pink. And he really, really, really hated that colour. Why couldn't she like some other, more bearable colour? Like blue?

Seto supposed he was nitpicking. He was born on the cusp of Virgo, after all. But he was very much a Leo in other respects. Tangent point. The fact of the matter was; he was trying to find fault with his fiancée.

He sat down on the edge of his bed, undid his cufflinks and then turned, handing them to her to put in their mutual jewellery box. It was an arrangement they had set up after realising that it benefited them both. Neither wanted to lose as much as they had on their first trip together.

"I wasn't hiding," he said, responding to her question that had been hanging unanswered.

"Well, you should have hung around at least for a little while before disappearing," she countered, "You missed something big."

Seto knew exactly what she was talking about. He was not, however, going to acknowledge that he did. He made a made a barb about, "What? The dancing red dragons? They were everywhere."

Shizuka shot him a reproachful look before saying, "No, bigger and much more important. I found someone – two 'someones', in fact. Duke was there."

Devlin first? This was new. Seto raised an eyebrow but said nothing, waiting for her to continue. She did.

"And – now this is the icing on the cake – Anzu. I mean," she paused, fiddling with her earring, "when was the last time you saw Anzu Mazaki in person? _The_ Anzu Mazaki."

Kaiba's eyebrow was getting a lot of exercise lately. "Since when did she become 'the Anzu Mazaki'?"

The look that he received made him feel distinctly ignorant and renewed the irritation he had left with, which had never really subsided in the first place. Shizuka was going to drive him crazy. What had he missed?

"_The_ Anzu Mazaki is only one of the most successful dancers in Japan. And, in case you didn't know, oh-beloved-fiancé, she is _the _Anzu Mazaki who was – and _is_ – one of my brother's best friends."

"What a repertoire."

"Stop being so bloody sarcastic, Seto." She was practically yanking her hair out of its complicated style as an outlet to her fury. "I'm just happy to see her, okay? She's my friend and she's really done a lot with herself. You know; if maybe you just took one minute off of degrading them for being friends with each other and actually looked at them for who they were, you might actually like them! You might –"

"Go to bed, Shizuka."

"What?"

Seto sighed, his ears hurting. "Go to bed, Shizuka. You can rant in the morning."

Her face took on an incredulous expression that didn't astound Seto remotely. She shook her head as though trying to dispel some unwanted thought. Finally working up a voice out of her disbelief, she said, "Sometimes I wonder about you Seto Kaiba. Really I do."

Then she slammed the adjoining door between them and Seto swore he heard the lock click. Not that it mattered; he was thankful that she had done it for him. A slow, rueful smile crept onto his face as his thoughts ventured quickly from his pissed fiancée.

"_She really is the icing on the cake, isn't she?"_

* * *

Anzu Mazaki walked slowly into her flat, draped her purse over the sofa and continued into her bedroom, flicking on lights as she went. She was still frazzled from the whole experience the night had turned out to be. She had seen him just before she had stepped into her limo with Duke. He was waiting for Shizuka to get into theirs.

Taking off her jewellery piece by piece, she moved back out into the living room and switched on the television. Sure enough, there she was. She shook her head at the assumptions being made about her relationship with Devlin wondering why friendship was such an impossible, unbelievable thing in the world of the rich and famous. Anzu peeled herself out of her forest green gown and slipped into an oversized, yellow t-shirt. She knew she wasn't going to sleep. Not with him still on her mind. So she settled onto the couch and paid sporadic attention to what was being said on the television.

Then it happened. Shizuka hadn't mentioned anything about it but there it was on national television.

Scowling viciously Anzu glared at the television. It was a nasty habit she had picked up a few years ago – around the time she had been with him. Now the television spoke of him and his fiancée who, by chance, just happened to be one of her old best friends. Not exactly what she had pictured for her and her first love when they had started out. This was NOT her love story. It couldn't be.

At twenty-three years old, Anzu was far beyond where she though she would be professionally. She made it through the Tokyo Dance Institution as one of the top dancers in their graduating class and had also come out as one of their best Literature students. Currently, she was dancing a lead in TDT – the Tokyo Dance Theatre.

To most, she was happy. She was rich, famous, and (some seemed to think) beautiful. What more could she want in life? _What a laugh_.

She _couldn't _be happy without – she _wasn't _supposed to be – she was _supposed _to be – Damn it! She was supposed to be _Shizuka_! It was meant to be _her_ at his side, _her _face behind his eyelids, _her_ everything in his heart, _her _body in his arms, in his bed... _Oh how she missed his arms..._

God, she could not be doing this to herself! It robbed her of her sleep, which robbed her of her health, and her career depended on her health. And her career mattered. One thing that she had done was: make it on her own. But with him being in Tokyo now, especially with Shizuka, she knew they were bound to run into each other. Shizuka would be sure to make the effort, the slut.

No...she could not think that way. She had no right to blame the spilt on anyone but the two of them. She was mature enough to realise that she was as much at fault as he was. But Shizuka _knew_. Anzu had all but bloody well _told_ her once. And yet, that little _whore_ still had the gall to ... to _sleep with_ (understatement of the decade) her boyfriend! Some friend.

_Stop Anzu_. This was exactly what she had sworn not to think.

The memories were starting to haunt her. Her obsession with this already-over relationship was becoming unnatural. Painfully, she recalled when she'd found out about the little tryst...

"_Wake up, sleepyhead." Wrapped only in a white cotton sheet, Anzu perched precariously on the edge of his bed and blew in his ear. He groaned and rolled onto his stomach, pulling the covers taut across his lean legs. She smiled wickedly, this was what she had aimed to do last night: wear him out completely. Apparently, she'd succeeded._

"_Darling," she said, stressing the word for it was one she was averse to actually using, "Breakfast is ready."_

"_Is it worth it?" he drawled. Anzu could hear the mischief in his voice even when he wasn't fully awake. She admired the toned upper body that was fully exposed to her hungry eyes then bent over, making sure that her chest was pressed against him and whispered: _

"_Maybe..." She could feel him smile._

"_Does that come with a side-dish of Shizuka?" Total cessation. Complete shut down. Ice cold._

"_Excuse me?"_

Swallowing thickly, Anzu got up, grabbed a _Frappacino_, and made her way out onto her terrace. She uncorked quickly and downed about half of the low-fat beverage in one gulp. Then she stared at the bottle and scowled. Another of his bad habits she'd picked up...this caffeine addiction.

Unable help the tear that escaped her, Anzu finished off her drink much more slowly. The constant buzz of the television that was still going back inside her apartment continued to speculate about their wedding plans, which were to finally be discussed...after two and a half years. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Anzu couldn't help hoping that maybe he'd put the wedding off because he hoped for reconciliation between them. Promptly, she brushed it aside as illogical.

But their love had been full, happy, wholesome and...absolutely perfect. At least, they had started that way...

"_Seto Kaiba! Stop being such a stiff," she ordered, smiling. "You put the 'right' in Rightist." _

_It was the one of those times of the month they saw each other for the people they truly were and not as people on opposing sides. _

_It had started as a coincidence; they'd both turned up at the docks at the same time. She was there because it was the anniversary of the day he'd saved her from almost certain death. He was simply there. She'd suddenly thanked him after three months of silence and one thing had led to another and suddenly, every month, for one day, they were friends. _

_Recently, however, their clandestine meetings were becoming more and more frequent. They called each other more frequently. Her parents knew, of course, that she had a friend named Seto who they assumed to be just like Yugi or Joey or Honda. And, for those six months, Anzu had thought so too. _

_When, though, when they were meeting at least once a week, calling each other almost everyday if only for ten minutes, when she dreaded the end of her evenings with him and awaited the next with bated breath, when she felt like she was going to pieces each time they walked away from each other and wanted only to wrap her arms around him to keep him there a moment longer, when she thought that what they had was beginning to sound a lot like a **relationship**, she finally began to think that maybe – just maybe – she had feelings other than friendship for the CEO... _

"_And you put the 'beauty' in Beautiful." That was a compliment if she'd ever heard one from him. With him practically whispering it in her ear, she couldn't help but blush. She waved him off, taking a drink of water. This was extremely odd behaviour, especially for him. _

"_You're simply trying to worm your way out of this one," she retorted when she had liquid in her dry mouth. She smiled and glanced at the door behind her as it opened. "Or you're drunk. Either way, it won't work."_

_She blinked when she turned back and his face was less than an inch from hers. _

"_Won't it?" His voice was quieter, deeper, and almost husky. It was most definitely sexy. She shook her head, eyes closed. That was, until she was summarily stopped by his lips on hers. For someone as reticent as he was supposed to be, he was an extremely skilled man. His kiss was slow and coaxing at first but soon became hungrier, more intense, and much more delightful._

_It had been evident all of that night: the electricity, the tension. That kiss was a slow chain explosion of each little movement and look that had left its own mine of desire. When they broke apart, Anzu was hard pressed to remember how to breathe. _

_She opened her mouth to ask what he had meant by that but she was preceded. _

"_I don't know," he admitted, his midnight eyes dark and voice ragged like his breathing, "but I'm willing to give it a try."_

"_So am I." _

_He'd smiled, kissed her again and she didn't think there was anything better in the world._

Remembering that it was exactly three years to the date of their split, Anzu decided to distribute some goodwill. She smiled bitterly thinking, it was an anniversary present. Attempting to be the good person so many believed her to be, Anzu tried her best to make her whispered wish sincere...

"Be happy, Seto."

_Too bad it wasn't. _

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:** I'll admit it: I'm a cheater. This chapter is only out so quickly because...it was mostly stolen from something I'd already written and never posted. But I hope it's worth it.

On a side note, I have nothing against the Chinese; I just thought a little Seto Sarcasm would be funny. In fact, my father is half-Chinese.

Also, my beta, **Meena, the Meaner**,said she really hated the way Anzu found out about Seto's infidelity but then we thought, hey, it's gives them a real reason to break up. But I will explain why that happened and why Seto was unfaithful in the first place.

Again, don't sweat it! If anyone knows me, they'll know the final outcome of the pairings from now. I'm kind of a diehard.

**Disclaimer (for series): **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song **Chemicals Between Us** by **Bush**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. But I highly recommend this song. Even thought the CD, **The Science of Things** was, IMHO, a complete flop; this song was its saving grace.

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCIVE CRITISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES. **


	3. Love You Endlessly

**IMPORTANT:** In this chapter the words **"Tea"** and **"Téa"** show up. **"Tea"** is pronounced the same way it normally is in English (i.e. **Tee**) while **"Téa"** is pronounced the way one pronounces Anzu's dub name (i.e. **Tay-ah**). I've checked each time I use it specially, so there are** no** mistakes where this is concerned.

Also, you may need to get the song I mention in this chapter to get the real feel of what's happening. But you can work without it.

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 3: Love You Endlessly**

_I just wanna be close to you  
And do all the things you want me to  
I just wanna be close to you  
And show you the way I feel..._

_...I feel love  
When I'm lying in the midnight hour  
Holding you is just like a dream  
Love is never what it seems..._

_...When we touch  
And you're holding me the way you feel  
Girl, you make my dreams come true  
You make my dreams come true..._

_...I just wanna be close to you  
And do all the things you want me to  
I just wanna be close to you  
And show you the way I feel..._

_...I feel love  
Every time your body's next to mine  
Something deep inside of me  
Wants to love you endlessly..._

_...When we touch  
Girl, you don't know  
How it makes me feel  
I just can't believe it's real  
I can't believe it's real..._

_...I just wanna be close to you  
And do all the things you want me to  
I just wanna be close to you  
And show you the way I feel..._

**From:** Close to You – Maxi Priest

* * *

"Shit." 

Seto threw down his pen and scowled ferociously at his paperwork. He ran his right hand through his hair and leaned his head back against the cool leather of his office chair. He couldn't concentrate. _Mokuba_ was getting more work done than he was and _that _was saying something. Although he had no doubt that when his brother put his head down to work he could do wonders, Seto knew that the general administration details Mokuba was in charge of didn't particularly keep him riveted.

Seto, however, knew exactly what was wrong with him. It had been almost a month since the Chinese function and Seto Kaiba hadn't seen or heard anything more of Anzu Mazaki. It was telling on him, too. He hadn't slept a full night since then and none of those could be attributed to Shizuka. In fact, he hadn't seen his fiancée in almost a week. Not that he minded, really.

His office door opened and, in a flash, he was ready to rip the throat out of the offender.

"Seto?"

He sighed and signalled for his brother to enter. Over the years, Mokuba had matured from a cheerful, active kid into a lively, athletic young man. Seto snorted in his head, he sounded like an old man when he was scarcely four years older. But he still refused to cut his hair. Tame it, yes. Never cut it. And the taming had only happened recently.

"If you keep doing this to yourself, you're going to have one foot in the grave before you're 30," Mokuba commented as he flipped through some files. He held out a few sheets to Seto.

"Doing what?" Seto asked as he took them. He scanned them briefly and nodded. As he picked up his pen, Mokuba qualified his statement.

"You're working yourself into the ground. That or–" the black-haired teen paused, minding his tongue. Seto finished off with a flourish and then looked up.

"Or?"

"Or you're still hung up on last month." Quite suddenly, Mokuba noticed a change in the line of his brother's mouth, in the furrowing of his brows and then, just as quickly, the entire expression dissolved into one of defeat.

"I take it you saw." he stated. "Did you see _her_?"

Slowly, Mokuba nodded. He had indeed watched. When he had heard that Anzu Mazaki was back in Japan – in Tokyo to be exact – he knew that the Seto would have collided with her somewhere. He had hoped vainly that it wouldn't be in front of national television cameras...or Shizuka.

"What did you think?"

"She grew her hair." The younger Kaiba exhaled loudly and plopped into one of the chairs in front of Seto's desk. The elder Kaiba raised an eyebrow but waited. Mokuba was silent for a while before answering tentatively. "She's older. It shows."

The two sat in silence, pondering this small yet meaningful insight. A question nagged at the back of Mokuba's mind and had, if truth were told, been there for a long time – approximately three years. Finally, he voiced it.

"How did you manage to screw up so badly, Seto?"

"What?" There was no warning in his tone, only a need for clarification.

"Why did she break up with you?" Seto knew that one day he would have had to answer this question. It might as well be sooner rather than later.

"You remember the weekend I spent in Kyoto? The one right before she broke up with me?" Mokuba nodded. "The weekend that she left was–"

"Your second anniversary – your second year together, I know. She chased me out of the house." A reminiscent smirk crept across Mokuba's face as he spoke.

"Right. But the weekend in Kyoto wasn't as uneventful as I said it was... I don't even remember why but I found myself in a bar, wound up stoned into the next morning and woke up with–" He hesitated. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell Mokuba the identity of the woman he'd been with. He didn't like her much as it stood.

To his surprise, Mokuba knew. "Shizuka."

"Yes."

"And Anzu found this out somehow?"

"Yes."

"How?" Seto looked at Mokuba, the eyebrow quirking upwards as if to ask, _do you really want to know that?_But he continued.

"Sunday morning, Anzu tried to wake me up. I was dreaming about her." His lips twisted into a pained sort of smile. "But when she spoke to me, the face changed – morphed into Shizuka's. It shocked me to the core. I swear the only reason I said Shizuka's name was that. And I can't – couldn't – lie to her..."

Abruptly, Seto looked away, stopping.

"She left and the rest is history." Mokuba finished the sentence and nodded. After three years of wondering, he finally received a conformation. Speaking of which...

Digging through his files, Mokuba finally produced the sought after item. "Shizuka's airline tickets have been confirmed. When are you leaving?"

"What?" Total confusion.

"The tickets to Rome. Did you forget?" Seto shook his head indicating the negative. He reached across his desk and took the proffered tickets.

"When did she order these?"

"Last Monday."

"She didn't mention it."

"Strange."

"She probably forgot. I'll take them. I know how much you–" An epiphany. "You knew. Is that why you've never liked her?"

Mokuba looked up, his expression enigmatic but not in the least remorseful. "Perhaps."

Then he stood up and was striding out of the door before Seto could get a word in edgewise. Seto stared after him for a moment before looking down at the tickets in his hand.

_Rome?_

* * *

"Shizuka, are you–?" Seto stopped mid-question. The hotel room was in disarray and his fiancée sat on the bed, in her bathrobe, looking utterly wretched. "What's wrong with you?" 

"I don't want to go to France." She pouted, knowing fully well that he wasn't susceptible to such antics. "I'd much rather stay here."

She looked pleadingly up at him. "_Please_, Seto. You know you're going to be heading off from one business meeting to the other and, frankly, I'm tired of them. I just sit around and listen to statistics all day. There's so much more to see here."

She rose from the bed and took on a much more dictating air, "We can both get to Domino on our own; we're grown-ups. And I'm sure you'd want some time off. Why not take a few extra days? I've already spoken to Mokuba. He's sure he can hold the fort for a few days more. You've been wearing thin lately. Spend some time with yourself. Relax."

Busily removing his personal items from their shared travel bag and transferring them into another, she added, "Besides, I wouldn't make it to the airport on time, anyhow. I'm nowhere near ready."

She turned, handed him the bag, and hopped up on the bed so that she could be eye-to-eye with him. She draped her arms around his neck and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll miss you."

He looked at her and she kissed him.

"I love you," she said. "And _try _to have a good time."

When Seto was seated on the plane, staring out of the ovular window, waiting for take-off, he realised that he had done what he always did.

_But he could never bring himself to reply to her the same way._

* * *

Shizuka wasn't affronted when Seto hadn't responded to her. She hadn't expected him to. And he hardly ever fought her when it came to what she wanted it. If she wanted it, she could have it. Nothing ever seemed to bother him in that respect. Honestly, nothing ever seemed to worry him when it came to her. 

Recently, although she knew that Seto cared for her, she had come to realize that he wasn't _in love _with her anymore. _Or maybe he never had been in the first place? Had she?_ She shook her head, clearing it. She turned and walked back into her hotel suite, wrapping her robe more protectively around her small frame.

Sometimes, she even thought that the great difference in their statures was a natural hint that, no matter what either of them may have wanted to think, they weren't meant to be together. Sometimes, she thought she was the only one who wanted to think that.

Therefore, even though she knew that what she was doing was iniquitous, and she felt vulnerable every time she did it, Shizuka picked up the telephone. As her hand hovered over the key pad, it trembled slightly in both fear and excitement.

_What was the name of Duke's hotel again?_

* * *

It was a sunny day in Nice, France as Anzu Mazaki, the famed Japanese modern dancer, made leisurely steps down the busy sidewalk with her long, brown hair tied neatly and securely back in a ponytail that still suggested a freedom of spirit. Wrapped around the base of it was a flowing silk scarf, splashed in shades of blue. 

Her white outfit was an interesting, sleeveless one-piece with a wide collar, the V dipping tantalizingly but not scandalously low. Instead of tapering to a skirt (and therefore worthy of being called a dress), it ended in short-pants with an abstract blue/green pattern along the hem and along the edges of the pockets. On her feet, she wore white, Romanesque sandals with small heels that laced up to just beneath her knees. Though they had taken a little while to put on, they were extremely comfortable.

Stopping to lose the sunshades before she entered the quaint little café that was her destination, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the glass. She even had his style, colour-wise. She shook her head as she pushed the door open.

The purpose of this trip was to get away from him and his wedding. Recently, Anzu had been frequenting this place so much she had a booth of her own. The waiters knew her regular and all she had to do was smile at them. As anticipated, her booth was waiting. She had a few letters she wanted to finish off and then, she presumed, she would do some reading.

Halfway through her letter to her father, which was a separate affair from her letter to her mother, she was interrupted by a familiar tune – _Maxi Priest_. The rhythm of the drums was recognizable and the first verse, though a bit quiet, caught her attention. As the chorus began, she looked up, directly at the open door, and into the wide, midnight eyes of Seto Kaiba.

..._I just wanna be close to you..._

* * *

Seto Kaiba impulsively turned and headed in the direction of a small, private-looking café he'd seen on the opposite side of the walk. _Café Europa?_ As soon as he touched the doorknob, he could hear the drums. He knew this song too well: _Close to You_ by Maxi Priest. He shook his head slightly. There was no escaping it. 

The chorus began as he simultaneously looked straight ahead and into the clear, sparkling pools of blue that were Anzu Mazaki's eyes. His eyes widened. This was, without a shadow of a doubt, their song.

Without conscious control of his actions, Seto moved forward, walking toward her seated form at a slow, deliberate pace. Their eye contact never breaking, he sat across from her. Images and memories plummeted down around them, colliding, and tumbling to create a frenzy of emotion.

..._Love is never what it seems..._

* * *

"..._Are you **sure**?" Anzu questioned. It was going to be a long three-day weekend. She was going to be alone in her Tokyo flat. When she'd been accepted to Tokyo U at 18, she'd moved to Tokyo. The guys had either stayed in Domino at the highly-rated local university, or they had gone off on their own to different parts of the world. Hell, Honda was in South Korea. And her parents didn't think it that necessary to relocate to simply another city only about a half-hour's drive from their own home. Consequently, she was alone. At least, so she thought. Until she'd run into Seto. _

"_Yeah, unfortunately."_

"_Well, I suppose I can't keep you all to myself," she sighed. "Don't worry about me, I'll find something to keep me company. Hey! What does Mokuba have planned? We could have this huge party–"_

"_He's going with me."_

"_Oh." Both ends of the phone line were silent for a breath._

"_Tea," he said, using his only nickname for her, "I'm sorry but I have to go. I'll see you Tuesday. I swear."_

"_Go ahead," she replied, the smile evident in her voice. Seto smiled too, thinking that he knew exactly why he loved her so much. "Enjoy your business reports. It's not like this is a special occasion or anything. See you Tuesday."_

"_Bye. Love you." He never felt awkward about telling her that. _

"_Love you too." And then the dial tone..._

..._Late Friday afternoon, Anzu lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what Seto was doing. Actually, she was trying to come up with a nickname for him. Ever since he'd discovered that her middle name was Téa and had accidentally mispronounced it, he'd called her 'Tea'. He claimed she was one reason for his caffeine addiction. Nevertheless honestly, when she thought of him, only one word came to mind – **Saiai**(1). And that wasn't a name. She shrugged mentally. The very fact that she was allowed to call him 'Seto' was intimate enough. _

_Unexpectedly, the doorbell rang. There stood Mokuba, holding out two bags and smiling wickedly. _

"_Wear these. I have a surprise for you."_

_Confounded, she did as she was told but not before teasing him: "I hope you don't smile like that to any girls in school. I don't think Seto could deal with any more little Kaibas that weren't his own." Mokuba flushed from hairline to toes as Anzu disappeared into her room. _

_The car ride was uneventful. Mokuba sat next to her in the backseat of the 5 Series, keeping far and refusing to answer a single question. Finally, when they arrived at the mansion, he blindfolded her. Although this left her very vulnerable, she knew that Mokuba would not hurt her. They had been friends even before she and Seto had..._

..._Seto stood waiting at door to the pool area. When he saw Mokuba turn the corner, followed by a blindfolded Anzu, he smirked. She would love this. Thankfully, he'd remembered to have the blindfold scented. She picked up on his perfume way too easily. _

_Nodding his thanks silently, he opened the door and let Mokuba walk her in. she noted the difference in the light instantly. Mokuba slipped out and they were alone. Standing behind her, he gently removed the blindfold then kissed her earlobe lightly, wrapping his arms around her slim waist. _

_She gasped in wonder. "Oh, my God...Seto, it's beautiful." Then, abruptly, she turned and smacked him on the arm. "Weren't you supposed to be in India?"_

_He laughed, more in love in that one moment than he had ever been before. All of a sudden she wrapped her fingers around his neck and pulled him into a searing kiss. When she pulled away, he mumbled mischievously, "I pulled a few strings. Welcome to the Caribbean, Ms Mazaki."_

_And it truly was the Caribbean. The entire poolside had been transformed into a paradise for two; palm trees had been planted and the air was filled with the sweet aromas of other innumerable flowering tropical plants. _

"_And I have another surprise for you," he whispered in her ear as she spun round and round looking at everything. "Close your eyes."_

_He took her hand lightly in his and pulled her towards the far end of the pool. The entire poolside, in point of fact, was a replica of a huge Parthenon raised five steps off the ground. Towards the end, when one climbed down the steps, there was – to Anzu's knowledge – an expanse of lawn, not overly wide but sizeable, and then the steep edge of the cliff the Kaiba mansion was built on. _

"_Open them." When she did, she found herself staring down at large, square, marble tiles that paved all the way to the fence. Cut into this was a slightly smaller square bordered by a shallow stream of running water across crystal-blue glass tiles. The entire area was thickly hedged by more palm trees. "Your dance floor."_

_Seto found himself enveloped in a hug so tight he almost couldn't breathe. Still, he reciprocated in kind..._

..._Seto really had gone all out. They had dinner, by the fading light of sunset and candles. The food was real Caribbean style, prepared by a Guyanese immigrant chef, and was everything under the sun, ranging from Jerk to Dhal-puri to Cook-up (2). _

"_It's a crime to ignore the pepper sauce," Seto advised as he watched her sample. "Besides, I've had it specially imported. I even did the testing myself..." He grimaced a bit. "I don't think I have many taste buds left."_

_She laughed and reached for the bottle. When she tried some, her eyebrows shot up and she nodded her approval. "Where on earth did this come from?"_

"_A Caribbean company in Florida: **Caribbean Gourmet Inc** (3). Of all the sauces I've ever tasted, this is the best."_

"_It is," she agreed readily, reaching for her water glass. "But very hot."_

_He reached across the table to swipe some off the side of her mouth, "No where close to you." She smacked him..._

..."_Dance with me?" Seto purred, nuzzling her neck as the stared out at the ocean. The sun had set and the sky was a beautiful clear navy, dotted with diamonds. She nodded instantly. From his pocket, he produced a small remote and pointed to a seemingly obscure corner. He stood and pulled her up, taking her into the middle of her dance floor. _

_The music emanated from all around. He began to move in time, and she followed because, despite the fact that she was the dancer, she preferred to have him lead at times like these. Anzu could never dance the way he did – she danced alone. _

_It wasn't a slow song but it wasn't fast either. For some reason, it sounded like the Caribbean. Seto loved Reggae anyway; she should have expected it. She lost herself in the movements until Seto leaned down to **sing **in her ear._

"..._I just wanna be close to you  
and do all the things you want me to  
I just wanna be close to you  
and show you the way I feel..."_

_She never knew he could sound like that. And he never realised that he could **feel** like that. _

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:** I know people hate me but, Hell, I ran up against a block. I decided this was as good place to stop as any I could get to. Besides, I found a great song for the next chapter. Am currently suffering from another bout of PEST.

To **define**:

**(1) Saiai **– means "beloved" in Japanese. Just in case you were wondering.

**(2) "Jerk to Dhal-puri to Cook-up"** – These are all authentic Caribbean dishes, all of which rock. My mother, grandmother and aunts make them absolutely deliciously. We're from the Caribbean, after all. And yes, it's true to skip the pepper sauce is a crime.

In aces you're wondering, Jerk is a way to prepare meats. It's a Jamaican delicacy. Dhal-puri is an Indo-Guyanese specialty that can't be found anywhere else in the world, and Cook-up is simply 100% Guyanese. Now, guess my nationality. LOL

**(3) Caribbean Gourmet Inc** – Is a real company in Florida, USA that makes the one of the most flavourful and hottest pepper sauces in existence. I suggest you grab a bottle. But you'll probably only be able to find it in certain places. But look for it. It's worth it...every last drop.

And now, to reply to some **queries/comments**:

For **Aftertaste of a Razorblade: **I use Duke and Joey's dub names because, I like the sound of "Devlin", and "Joey" is just much easier to type than Jonouchi (did I even spell that right? Point taken?) As the writer, I'm using my artistic license. And, if you think about it, one can argue that everyone uses Seto's and Yugi's dub names too.

For **Nightengale 13:** I have tried to minimize on the bold. However, there are only so many ways one can format in order to stress already italicized words. And I hate asterisks. BTW, millions of thanks for the super-long review. I think it's the longest I've ever gotten in my life.

**Disclaimer (for series): **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song **Close To You** by **Maxi Priest**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. But I love this song. It's one I would highly urge you to get a copy of. And then read the chapter again, just to get the real feel. LOL

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES. **


	4. Tell You That

**CAUTION: **More **Tea** and **Téa** warnings. Same rules apply. Hell, they apply throughout the story so work with it.

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 4: Tell You That**

_I know you think that I shouldn't still love you  
Or tell you that  
But if I didn't say it  
Well, I'd still have felt it  
Where's the sense in that?..._

_...I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder  
Or return to where we were..._

_...I know I left too much mess  
And destruction to come back again  
And I caused but nothing but trouble  
I understand if you can't talk to me again  
And if you live by the rules of "It's over"  
Then I'm sure that that makes sense..._

_...But I will go down with this ship  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
There will be no white flag above my door  
I'm in love and always will be..._

**From: **White Flag – Dido

* * *

The song faded into oblivion, leaving the two in a haze of remembrance. Though they had recognized each other, they hadn't yet _seen_ each other. Now, with the fog ebbing, they were able to really look at each other. And they did.

She was as he had seen her almost two months ago. Albeit the fact that she was not as decked out as she had been for the Chinese gala, she was beautiful. Mokuba had been right, she was older and it did show. But she was no less beautiful in his eyes. In fact, she was only more so.

When he'd last been this close to her, she'd still been but scarcely more than a child. Now, she was fully grown woman, sure in skin and soul. She was everything he ever thought he could want. She was all he'd ever wanted.

Seto was, to Anzu, a magnificent sight. When they had last been in such close proximity, she was too accustomed to seeing him. She had his image fixed in her mind – he was a perpetual 16 year old, looking everyday the way he always had. Now, dressed in casual, dark-blue slacks of a smooth material that looked classy and everyday all at once, and cool, white shirt with the sleeves folded up to his elbows, Seto was all adult. There was something about him though, that she knew well. A lingering sense of regret, of pain.

But he was still her Seto, her secret _saiai_. Her world embodied. He was engaged to someone else.

Neither had, however, expected to find tears in the others eyes. This surprised Anzu more than Seto for, despite the fact that they had been as thick as thieves when they were together, it had been a jubilant sort of relationship. She'd never seen him cry. In her limited knowledge, she believed that she'd never made him cry. She had no idea how wrong she was.

_But she sure as hell was going to find out._

* * *

"Hello Seto." Her voice was quiet. A bittersweet smile spread across her full lips and Seto's impulse was to lean forward and capture them with his own. But that wouldn't do. _Not now_. His hand slid across the able, taking hers gently. She looked up at him. He had yearned for the feeling of her soft skin and delicate hands within his. Her eyes were clear and, as usual, he read them easily, able to see the confusion of emotion therein.

"Tea." His smile mirrored hers. The formalities, social niceties, pre-requisite idle chitchat that were everyone else's safety nets in these situations didn't apply to them. It would be an insult to their history. So, instead, he gave her hand a tender squeeze. "I've missed you. You have no idea how much I've missed you."

He felt her hand tense. He knew she was going to pull away. That, however, was the last thing he wanted. So, he remedied the situation in the best way he knew, he begged. In traditional Kaiba fashion – which basically sounded like a command.

"Anzu, don't leave. I just want to say this to you. You don't have to respond. Just listen." He watched, tense with a nervousness that bordered on nausea, as she weighed her options. He almost sighed in relief when she nodded ever so slightly. Her posture was no less relaxed but she was going to listen. He always knew she was a smart girl, rarely one to make a scene.

Seto still hadn't let go of her hand, unable to release that which he had longed to touch again for so many years. It was his lifeline in this conversation, whether or not its owner as aware of this fact. He noted that, apart from her subtle attempt to leave, Anzu had not withdrawn it either.

"I should start where I left off, don't you think?" He raised a rhetorical eyebrow although his eyes were focused on their interlocked hands. "I _am_ sorry, Anzu. Truly I am." He looked up, catching her eye and holding her gaze easily. This was infinitely harder than he had expected it to be. But then again, he was a fool to have had any expectations when it came to her. She was the spontaneity in his life.

"I – I –" he stammered and then blushed slightly because of it. Unconsciously, his hand tightened around hers, causing her to peer ever more intently at him. "I wasn't – I didn't...Anzu, I never meant for anything to happen that night. To tell you the truth, I can't even remember what happened. I just remember having a few drinks and then I woke up...there."

She looked away quickly, not wanting to hear about it. "Please believe me, Tea. I don't lie to you. I never have."

Seto was fully aware that he was most likely wearing a desperate expression but, at her feet, his dignity flew to the wind. As much as he hated to admit that one woman could have such power over him, he realised that Anzu Mazaki would always be his 'distinctive case'. Almost every man had one woman they would cower and grovel for; there was no doubt in his mind that she was his.

"I've never loved anyone the way I loved – love – _you_, Anzu You've always been special to me. You still are. The truth is; I still _do _love you. I know that you don't find this...appropriate conversation. Whether or not I _ought_ to be telling you this is completely irrelevant at the moment because the simple fact is I do. Nothing anyone can ever do will ever change that. I love you – I'm _in love with _you – with all of my being. Perhaps more than I ever should be. But when it comes to you, I've never been a logical man."

"Seto–" she began, breaking in and sounding like she was about to shoot him down. He shook his head, halting her before she could get going.

"I'm not asking to change our relationship-"

She interrupted once again, briefly: "Lack thereof."

"Or lack thereof," he corrected, "I'm not asking for anything, Anzu. Nothing but your acceptance of this: _I'm still in love with you. I always have been – probably even before I was sixteen – and always will be_."

* * *

When he was done ripping her carefully, precariously mended heart back into hardly noteworthy shreds of tissue, Anzu had only the ability to stare at him. She wasn't gaping – she wasn't _dim_, after all – but her eyes were curiously blank.

Could she trust Seto's words now, after all this time? They say actions speak louder than words...and he'd lost her trust through his treacherous actions three years ago. So then how was she to believe him? Inexplicably, something in her, some part of her that she knew still loved Seto Kaiba, did believe him already. And there was no changing the fact that, like a virus, this belief was spreading rapidly and uncontrollably throughout her body.

Anzu knew, however, that she needed more time to think about what he had told her. She could _believe_ what he had said but _acceptance_ – that which he had begged her for – would indubitably take a longer period of time. Finally, she tore her gaze away from the tiled floor and sought his. If he truly knew her the way she'd once assumed he did, he would understand what her next question meant. If he felt the way he said he did, he wouldn't question her.

"Shall we walk, Seto?"

She watched him watch her in slight mystification for a few seconds before the insight dawned on him. The edge of his lips quirked upwards and he nodded. She almost audibly sighed in her relief. Honestly, she would not have been anything less than devastated had he _not_ understood. Noiselessly, without hurry, she began packing up her neatly arranged stationery and Seto waited with equal patience. He made no move to help, however, and she knew that this was his – _their_ – way of acknowledging that this was _different_. This wasn't what they were used to; nothing would ever be the same for them again. Not as long she was on this side of the table and he was on the other.

His close watch on her allowed him to stand a fraction of a second before she did. It was the gentlemanly thing to do and if Seto had any values instilled in him at all, they dealt with etiquette. The same applied to when they reached the door. He walked beside her but still stepped up a bit to hold the door open.

Anzu was unable to conceal her smirk. It was something that she had always questioned, thinking that, like all other men, he'd been trying to impress her with his manners. As time had passes and none of his chivalrous actions had waned, she realised that it was an integral part of Seto. She had loved it about him and couldn't imagine that he'd be like without it but had still teased him mercilessly about 'being old-fashioned'. Glancing down at her as she passed through the doorway, he caught sight of her lips. Once they were outside, he also smirked, acknowledging the unspoken tease.

"_What?"_

* * *

Duke Devlin sat stark naked, on the right side of the bed, in the middle of his Italian penthouse, with only his sheets pulled across his lap. His brow was contorted with an out-of-place frown on a regularly carefree face. He kept his eyes focused on the oak bathroom door.

To him, the past few days had been an experience unlike anything he had ever undergone prior. He wasn't sure how to describe what he felt or how he felt. It was amazing and terrifying all at the same time. It was the sort of thing he heard about, read about, but never actually considered possible. And, in the course of approximately one moth, he'd been proven as wrong as an upside-down pyramid. He snorted at the memory of his initial thoughts concerning this...arrangement. C_asual sex? Whoever said it would be that simple deserved to be sued. _He had entered into her little game of Tryst thinking – hoping – that there would be no strings attached. But, considering their history, strings came standard.

Now, Duke faced what he regarded as the final challenge in this strange, exciting affair. It was a challenge he never thought he'd ever find himself approaching so unquestioningly. However, there he sat, about to do just that. If he was truthful with himself, he'd probably been gearing himself towards this moment since she'd first called him and asked, in a voice that was too suggestive for any doubts if he was willing to have a few drinks, some laughs and... She'd left it hanging and the open invitation had stunned him for a millisecond. Despite his doubts, he went along with what she wanted, praying that Kaiba didn't find them out.

The door opened, steam billowed out, and the small figure of his lover emerged wrapped only in a white terry-cloth bathrobe. Duke instantly jerked out of his reverie. _Now or never Devlin_. Shizuka's face was flushed from the warmth of her bath and her hair was wet. As she made her way toward the bed, picking her way through the scattered clothing on the ground, Duke steeled himself to a question that had been haunting him.

"_Do you love him?"_

One thing both Seto and Anzu loved about foreign countries was their freedom to walk down the streets, mainly inconspicuous. In France, unlike their native Japan, they could stroll along the roads, the beach, wherever they wanted to, in obscurity. Their walk, however, had taken them far from their point of origin to a wooded area on top of a cliff that over looked the bay. The scene was faultless, the blue sky and sea framed by two arching trees and the curve of the beach set perfectly in the makeshift frame.

Seto leisurely sauntered up to one and leaned against it. Anzu, on the other hand, stood in the centre of the glade, staring at the suns' reflection on the sea. The Mediterranean really was a sight to behold. She adjusted her range of vision to take in things closer to her, including Kaiba. He was, of course, never to be outdone, even by a feature of nature. She shook her head. _This isn't the time, _she thought.

"How's Mokuba?" she asked abruptly, initiating the first conversation they were to share since leaving the café. "I haven't heard a thing about him in a long while."

"He's doing well. He's in college now – TU," he paused for no apparent reason, and then continued, "He's working now – protocol, management and so on – on his free days. He's also in charge of giving me bad news." He smirked. Anzu offered a small grin in appreciation of the minor joke. They lapsed into silence and the air was heavy with unspoken words. Nothing moved apart from the wind that wafted through their hair and shifted the ends of their clothes.

"You really wounded me that morning, you know," she stated. His head jerked upwards and he peered intently at her, waiting for the rest, knowing he wouldn't enjoy it, _needing_ to hear it. "Do you know what it's like to be cheated on Seto?"

She held his gaze evenly as she spoke and he admired her for it. "It _hurts_. It physically aches to think that some you love didn't love you enough. Not even _'as much'_ but _'enough'_ to be faithful to you... It makes you feel inadequate, Seto. And I hate feeling that way."

"Tea –" he attempted to interrupt but she held up a hand effectively curbing his attempt.

"You knew me, Seto. You knew how I felt about me, about not being good enough half the time... All the same, when I was with you, I felt like I could rule the world. I know I'm not perfect and never have been but – Seto; you made me think I was _special_. I began to believe that I could achieve more than average _on my own_. You got me to see _me_ apart from my friends, as a single entity and not _only_ a part of a group. Then, in one small – perverted – question, you manage to bring all that down around me."

She shifted her gaze back out to the sea. "Despite that, however, I still find myself thinking of giving you the closure you're asking for."

She smiled wryly, "I haven't been altruistic in a long time. Don't think I'm starting mow, I need it as much as you–"

Out of the blue, she found herself cut off. Seto was kissing her, his lips frantic. Although Anzu didn't want to respond, didn't want to go back down that road again, she found herself kissing him back with as much desperation, pent up passion and hostility. It was far from a gentle kiss. Seto was demanding and forceful. Anzu, never one to be passive, matched him move for move. Seto's arms tightly ensnared her midsection, practically crushing her form into his. He delved his tongue deeper into her open mouth, seemingly wanting to swallow her in his need. As he leaned her backwards over his arm around her waist, she pressed back up, fingers stretched taut on his shoulders, her nails nearly digging into the skin beneath his shirt. _I push and you push me back._

Quite unexpectedly she went limp in his arms, moaning into his kiss. He'd won. Relishing the fact, the very _feel_ of her in his arms once again, he kissed her harder for a moment before breaking away a millimetre to look at her face, a vision he'd pined for deeply. Her lips were red from the force of their kiss and their eyes heavily lidded. Then, much more tenderly, he kissed her again. When he broke away fully this time, releasing her from his embrace, both their breaths were serrated. Seto caught his first.

He bent a bit to reach her ear, which he observed inattentively was closer to his and more comfortable to reach that Shizuka's, and whisper-snarled, "I wasn't asking for closure."

Her eyes snapped up to his, filled with tears of rage as she wrenched herself further away from him. She shouted at him, no longer caring about civility and calmness. "Then what the hell do you want Kaiba? _What?_ You're taken everything I can possibly give you!"

His infamous temper rose to the occasion, "God damn it, Anzu, you aren't blind! Look at me. What do I look like I want? I want _you!_ I want you to tell me that you still love me _as much as_ I love you! I want you to _mean _it! I don't want to accept that we're over. I don't want to give us up. I didn't mean to turn your life upside down today, Tea, but it's not like mine will be any better either."

"We can't pick up from where we left off, Seto. We can't start over either," she halted briefly, "We can't do anything because you're _engaged_... to one of my best friends."

"Shizuka," he sighed. The word sounded burdensome and disliked and it made Anzu wonder. She had wondered for a long time whether or not he truly loved his fiancée, if he'd _ever_ loved her. He pulled a hand over his face and looked long and hard at Anzu before saying, "She and I were – are – mistake. We never loved each other. At least, I've never loved her. She was there when I thought I was going to die from the loss of you but otherwise..."

Seto let the sentence trail off and took a deep breath. "We aren't going anywhere. It took her two and a half years to manoeuvre me into proposing. Sum it up in one word: security. But I don't love her the way I love you."

Anzu was acutely aware of his use of the present tense. Thoughtlessly she blurted, "Does she love you?"

Seto contemplated this for a while then settled his eyes on her, answering definitely, "No."

Dryly, she mumbled, "Wonder why."

"Because she knows you were there."

"She knows about us?" It seemed to him that she sounded virtually close to panic for a fraction of a second. A long time ago they had agreed to keep their relationship a secret from the world, for multiple reasons.

"Not _you_ specifically, but she knows there was someone before her...someone she can't live up to." He watched her intently, midnight on crystal blue, baring his soul to her, hoping that she would read what his heart was striving to divulge. Anzu's eyes roamed his face, doing just that. With her eyes unwavering, she spoke.

"There are times when I question what I ever saw in you. What about you – a cold, arrogant _stick of a man_ – could make me feel the way I did? What was it about you that stole me heart?" She exhaled sharply as her eyes skittered around their environment. "And then you say things like _that_ and it's all too blatant."

Her eyes revisited his, the look inside them an amused accusation, as though she was laughing at the ridiculousness of her own query: "Really Seto Kaiba, why did _you_ have to be the man of my dreams?"

He had no answer to make to that so he lingered in stillness. He supposed it was a twisted sort of compliment but theirs was a twisted connection.

"It's getting late, I should be going." That was off topic. All of a sudden, she was walking away from him. She turned, faced him and said, "I accept what you had to say Seto. I understand what you mean. But I can't give you what you want. Three years isn't as long as one would like to think. Especially to the broken hearted. I have to live my life without you in it. I've _been _living it that way for the past three years. I can't revert like this...it'd kill me. So think of this as an act of self-preservation on my part. I live by the rules of: it's over. I'm sure you understand the sense that makes. You're a practical man."

Here her voice cracked and she swallowed. Her next declaration was much quieter. "Goodbye Seto."

She was deserting him again. His heart that had basked in the rain of her presence was drying up rapidly. It wouldn't do.

"Wait." He needn't shout.

"Let me drive you to your hotel," he pleaded, "Not a word more." She consented.

True to his word, neither said a thing during the drive back. This was despite Anzu's itch to comment on the old _Shabba Ranks_ song (_Mr Loverman_) that was playing in Seto's car, one that he'd had as long as she could remember. It was reggae, which he loved. She even watched him groove to it slightly at on of the red-lights they encountered, not fully registering that this was yet another testament to their intimacy. This was despite Seto's compulsion to ask for her new phone number, to ask about her life since their split, to ask a hundred and one fascinated questions more.

When finally they pulled up to the front of the lavish building, neither moved. Seto's fingers gripped the steering wheel so forcefully his knuckles were turning white. Anzu spotted this through the curtain of hair that hid her face as she bent her head to stare at the carpeted car floor. Anyone looking at them would think they had either just been on their first date or had just decided to get a divorce.

Slowly, Anzu shifted in her seat and inclined her body towards his. She pressed a kiss to the very outskirts of his lips, brushed her fingers across his much longer ones, relaxing them instantly, and then turned to leave. It was when she had one foot on the asphalt that Seto's hand swiftly caught her before she could exit completely. His fingers intertwined with hers. No words were exchanged but his grip was strong. It conveyed everything that needed to be said. _He wasn't going to stop loving her; he wasn't going to let her go. Seto Kaiba didn't own a white flag._

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:** I'M BACK! Went to Miami for a week, sorry for the delay. I know more than one person will hate me for the ending of this chapter but, _c'est la vie!_ Please note this chapter has not yet been beta-ed in its entirety. **Meena, the Meaner** has gone to Barbados for the weekend. If Seto's tune seems to change half-way, it's because this was written in pieces and I don't stay very coherent when I do that. Forgive me but work with it, please... Ok, I think that's all I have to say. And thank you for the reviews so far! They really keep me going.

**Disclaimer (for series):** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song **White Flag** by **Dido**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. I have fallen in love with Dido's music. Is there anything more to say?

The song **Mr Loverman** by **Shabba Ranks** is really awesome...and mentioned without permission.

Get both.

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES.**


	5. On My Lonely Mind

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 5: On My Lonely Mind**

_A hundred days have made me older  
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face  
A thousand lies have made me colder  
And I don't think I can look at this the same..._

_...Everything I know, and anywhere I go  
It gets hard but it won't take away my love  
And when the last one falls, when it's all said and done.  
It gets hard but it won't take away my love..._

_...I'm here without you baby  
But you're still on my lonely mind  
I think about you baby  
And I dream about you all the time  
I'm here without you baby  
But you're still with me in my dreams  
And tonight it's only you and me..._

**From: **Here Without You – 3 Doors Down

* * *

Mokuba looked around the room he was in, thinking about its regular occupant. The room was dark even though it was almost high noon outside. He had to admit that Seto knew what he was doing when he opted for navy velvet curtains. Exhaling, Mokuba stepped towards the windows directly across from the foot of the bed and threw them wide open, letting light into the room. The shadows were oppressive. The difference was amazing.

When all the blinds were tied back and the room was completely bathed in light, Mokuba stepped back and admired his handiwork. Now all he had to do was haul the maids up here to finally get some heavy-duty cleaning done...

He cast a cursory glance around the room, checking for anything embarrassing or classified that Seto may have left lying around. _Nothing. He should have guessed._ But Seto's mantel caught his eye. His eyes widened as he drew nearer. Finally, he cottoned on to why Seto never allowed Shizuka in here.

With an idea as to what specifically he was looking for, the younger Kaiba swept his gaze around the room once again. It wasn't just the mantel. The bedside table, the desk, the centre-table of the mini-den, the end tables of the sofas therein... Though the photographs were few, the fact that they were _there_ was enough. The signs were..._everywhere._

Smiling ruefully, Mokuba lifted one from its set place on the bedside table and stared at the image within, remembering the day well. It was a picture that Mokuba had taken of Seto and Anzu in her Tokyo apartment when he was fifteen. They had been caught at an... inopportune moment... but it was – in Mokuba's opinion – one of the most encapsulating snapshots of their relationship.

The photo was tilted at an odd angle (it was the only way Mokuba could get the camera to fit through the small opening he'd been forced to utilize). In it, Anzu stood facing the camera wearing only a dark green, spaghetti-strapped, silk night dress that ended high on her thighs. Seto stood behind her, in only his trousers, torso bare, with his arms wrapped around her waist and hands splayed against her abdomen, the fingers of his right hand dangerously close to her chest. Anzu had one hand over Seto's at her middle; the other was raised and buried in his hair. They were looking at each other over her shoulder, their noses touching, their lips brushing. As sensual as the energy in the print was, the expressions on their faces were what truly brought them to life. They were smiling – almost laughing – at some private jest; their eyes alight with love and mirth.

Initially, Mokuba had planned to use it as blackmail for a class trip he wanted to go on but when the film had been developed, he'd relented. It was astonishing what a tiny digital camera could capture. He had it framed and left it just where he'd recently picked it up from. The next day, Seto had ruffled his hair as he passed on his way to work – a routine incident. Mokuba had, however, found a note stuck on his head seconds later: _Thanks, but don't try it again. _He chuckled out loud, thinking that he probably had that note somewhere still.

As he replaced the frame, he tried to remember the number of times he'd caught the both Seto and Anzu up here. After a while he'd learnt to knock, for his own good. If ever Shizuka spent the night – which was rare – she had a room of her own, far from Seto's. In fact, Mokuba would be surprised if she even knew _where_ Seto's room was.

At times he seriously questioned his brother's motives for maintaining his relations with the Jonouchi girl. Wheeler was one of his most enthusiastic critics and to date his baby sister was a strange, strange, strange form of retaliation. Furthermore, if it was Shizuka that had caused Seto to loose the one woman he had ever exposed himself to fully, then _why_? What was Seto doing? Mokuba had never hated Shizuka Jonouchi but he'd never liked her the way he liked Anzu.

For as long as he could remember knowing her, he'd wanted Anzu for a sister-in-law. For as long as he'd known Shizuka, he'd wanted her gone. Perhaps it was the period in which she presented herself. Those few months after Anzu had departed from their lives were ghastly. Seto had never in all his life looked so close to unmitigated disintegration. It was then that the buzzing, nauseatingly sweet-tempered Shizuka had made her entrance. Seto had been vulnerable and she had been there. She was rebound relationship frozen into perpetuity.

Mokuba scowled; a marvellous replica of his elder sibling's. He hated when his thoughts travelled this way. Maybe it was resentment for Shizuka being barely a year older than he was, but he doubted it. What was actually bothering him was the tabloid sitting on his desk in his office down the hall.

His brother was suffering from a major relapse after seeing his Ex and she was painting Rome red – _indiscreetly _– with Devlin. With his head hung, he confessed that he was being biased. She didn't _know_. She had been given the short end of the stick. She deserved happiness just for putting up with them despite the many warnings/threats she would have had hurled at her by a furious brother. And he knew personally how hard it was to say 'No' to your big brother.

He turned and headed down the hall. Momentarily, he paused at the door on the right of Seto's. It hadn't been used in years. The linking door between it and Seto's room had been locked and Mokuba entrusted with the key. There was only one person who would ever sleep in that room and she...was not Shizuka.

_Anzu, if only you knew... If only._

* * *

Seto Kaiba arrived at the same hotel he'd been to last night at nine o'clock in the morning. He'd strolled in as though he owned the place. The receptionist almost jumped out of his skin when he realised who he was speaking to. Kaiba had matured with age and experience but could be – and was – as formidable as ever, if not more. In low tones, Seto inquired about a certain Anzu Mazaki.

"I'm sorry, Mr Kaiba, but Ms Mazaki checked out at 3:42 this morning."

"What?" He frowned deeply, terrifying the Frenchman on the other side of the counter. "Does anyone know where she went?"

"One moment please, sir." Seto watched him scurry away and converse in speedy French with a seated female. He glowered at nothing as he waited. He thought he would be early enough but apparently she'd gotten better at this game of Cat & Mouse. Or perhaps she'd become desperate? 3:00 a.m. was quite a put-out from a normal schedule. The receptionist was back.

"Ms. Mazaki commented on hating flights at such 'ungodly hours'. She also mentioned something about Hong Kong."

"That's it?" _Hong Kong, China? _Seto had the means for an international chase but not the patience.

"Unfortunately, sir."

"Thank you." It was grated. In a swirl of the trench coat, he disappeared as swiftly as he'd appeared. _The receptionist needed to sit down._

* * *

Anzu stared out of the window of her sister's Hong Kong town house, watching the rain beat a steady rhythm on the glass. Once upon a time, she loved the rain. She had frolicked in it for hours, mindless of the high risk of pneumonia. Now, she was dubious. There were too many memories associated with rainy days.

"Zu?" Anzu turned to face her older sister, Sesai (1), who was holding Anzu's only niece – a beautiful, adorable little one-year-old – against her bosom. Although the women looked much alike, Sesai's features were sharper, (to Anzu) more regal and more stunning. The only thing Sesai hadn't inherited was their mother's blue eyes. Also, in Anzu's opinion, her sister had inherited the real brain in the family. Anzu didn't judge herself as 'dunce', she believed that she paled to 'average; can do better with more effort' in comparison to her sister. Sesai had attended Oxford and obtained a Masters of Arts in Law – all on scholarship. Why she wasn't practicing was beyond Anzu's comprehension. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me, small-fry." They spoke in low tones in order to avoid waking the baby but Sesai's voice was stern. "I know you. You aren't one to look so down. What's the matter?"

"I said that–"

"I know what you said and I told you to stuff it and tell me the truth. I can see it in your eyes, Anzu. Something's wrong."

"Why don't you ever give up?"

"Because it's not in my nature. Now spill."

"There's noth–"

"If you say 'nothing' one more time, I'll put you to face the wall (2) for half an hour. I swear I'll do it. You wouldn't just call me up from goodness knows where in the middle of the night and ask if you could fly over right away if _something_ wasn't up."

Frustrated with the situation she found herself in and unable to stand up to her sister's logic, Anzu admitted, "It's Seto."

"_Oh."_

* * *

The steps that led to the front door of the Kaiba mansion seemed foreboding as the CEO of Kaiba Corp fixed his eyes on them. The things these stairs had borne witness to... his shoulders slumped as he placed his right foot on the first step. His blue trench coat hung over his arm.

"Welcome ho–" Seto heaved a sigh at his bad luck. He just had to have an unusually perceptive younger brother. His migraine would not be helped by the barrage of questions he was about to face. Number one: "What happened to you?"

"Not now, Mokuba." He saw the younger man's brow furrow. "Not the time."

"Allow me to rephrase that: _who_ happened to you?"

"Is it _that_ obvious?"

"You can't hide it from me, Seto. You should know that by now."

"I suppose."

"Fate's a bitch, isn't she?"

"Language Mokuba," Seto cautioned even though he knew that Mokuba was practically twenty. "But yes, she is...the Goddamned Queen."

"You two talk?" he enquired.

"Didn't I say not now?"

"Have I ever listened to what you say?"

"Eons ago." Seto groaned as he threw himself backwards onto one of the sofas in his bedroom. Under his breath he muttered, "Death to Yugi Motou."

"Yugi?" Now Mokuba was confused. "What does Yugi have to do with any of this?"

"Nothing..."

"Fine. Get some rest. We've got to talk later though. No excuses. There's something I think you should see."

"Good. Now get out."

"Grouch." With that Mokuba left his brother in peace. When he heard the door click shut, Seto gently lifted his arm away from his face. He ran a shaky hand through his hair, messing it up. Slowly, he opened eyes and looked at the framed photo on the centre-table. She was smiling at him; very dissimilar to the way she had two weeks ago. It had pained him to see the hurt in her; an anguish he had placed there. He would give anything to make it right. He hadn't had the chance to tell her that, to tell her the half of it. He'd ruined their conversation by acting on a rather teenaged compulsion to kiss her.

Despite now regretting having done so, he'd been in Heaven for the minutes they'd been joined at the lips. She'd been so familiar to his arms and yet so fresh and novel all over again. She kissed the way he remembered but with a new fire that was wholly electrifying. And her body... how he missed the feel of her body pressed against his. He bit his lip harshly. He needed a cold shower and he needed it _now_. Taking into account the fact that he was almost twenty-four and had a fiancée, this was laughable. But nothing and no one – and he meant _no one_ – could inflame him the way Anzu Mazaki did.

Besides, Shizuka was no substitute for Anzu when it came to the... sexual aspect of their relationship. Anzu had been his personal student in that area; she knew him, what he liked and exactly how he liked it. He knew her inside out. Lord help him, he was being libidinous. He had just potentially permanently screwed up any chance he had of mending their relationship and he was recalling her performance in bed? It was shameful. What was most shameful was that while Seto was suffering from these arousing thoughts, his fiancée was most likely on her way to his house. It would have been so much easier if he was thinking about his fiancée but, alas, he was not. _Life was such a bitch._ Perhaps, she'd be interested in Wheeler...

Honestly, having spent the past two and half years in wheeler's sister's company, Seto had come to spend a lot of time in Wheeler's company also. Sometimes, Seto thought that if they didn't have their tangible animosity over his association with Shizuka, Wheeler might actually be considered one of his friends. It would be a turbulent friendship but a friendship nonetheless. _Wouldn't she be proud of him?_ He scowled.

Again, his musing brought him right back to his muse, Anzu Mazaki. That took him straight back to their kiss and the sensation of her body aligned with his, the feel of her fingers on his shoulder blades, the warmth of her breath against his cheek, the sound of her soft moan... God, he missed her. He turned the shower knob further.

_Can't this thing get** any **bloody colder?_

* * *

Anzu watched tiredly as Sesai moved their empty tea cups into the kitchen. Reliving the entire episode in her mind again had emotionally worn Anzu out. She couldn't be dealing with this anymore, _shouldn't_ have been dealing with it. It had been three years already – _three years!_ She should be allowed to move on. But it was much like he said, he didn't give up. The very memory of him refused to leave her alone.

"Sai..." Anzu began, unsure. "I still love him, Sai. I'm still _in love with him_... Sesai, I don't know what to do." Her voice was an erratic whisper as she leaned into the open arms of her older sister for comfort. "I don't know what to do, Sai. Really I don't. I've never been this confused... He – I – it's just so cruel." Thus, after two and half years of abstinence, Anzu let herself cry over Seto Kaiba once more.

Sesai found that she was powerless. She knew the situation her baby sister was in, what it felt like to be at that junction, not knowing whether to turn left, right, or keep going straight ahead. It was a terrible place of helplessness and self-perceived ignorance. It was a feeling to hate. With each sob that Anzu muffled against the fabric on her shoulder, Sesai's heart wrenched.

So she did what she could: she rocked back and forth, like their mother would do if she were present, and mumbled soothing words into Anzu's ear. The moment Anzu stopped crying, they were calling her parents. Anzu needed to go home. As she raised her head to glance at her sleeping baby over Anzu's shoulder, she thought venomously:

'_You had better still be worth this, Seto Kaiba, or you answer to **me**.'_

* * *

A persistent knock moving in a steady crescendo up the volume scale woke Seto from his dream. Whether he would regard it as a pleasant dream was debateable. The best word for it would be standard. There was some wonderful, excruciating memory of Anzu then a flash of Shizuka and then a wave of guilt and remorse. Groaning, he called over his shoulder, "Go away, Mokuba!"

"You've been asleep all afternoon!"

"I'm getting up!"

"Good!"

Maybe it was just him but as they had aged Seto found that their conversations had an annoying tendency to slip frequently into immaturity. It was all _her_ fault. She had brought joy, laughter and youth back into their lives when she'd taken their house by storm. _Stop Seto,_ he commanded himself, _Anzu is not the person for you to think of now. _With a twinge of guilt he remembered who he needed to see.

Shizuka was not happy. He knew that. He wasn't happy either. Theirs was an arrangement of convenience. Recently, they had grown even farther apart than their originally detached relationship made provisions for. Seto felt like he owed her something to make up for the past three years of false hopes and indifference. If only he knew what would ease the pain.

When he stepped out of his bedroom – which he noticed was a great deal cleaner than it had been when he'd left – Seto was still mulling over the... nicest... way to do what he realized he _had_ to. Mokuba walked out of his room just as Seto was passing his door.

"Ready?"

"What for?"

"I said I needed to talk to you."

"I can't. Not now."

"That's what you said when you got here."

"It's what I'll say until tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Seto, I really think you ought to –" An index finger stopped him midway.

"I _said _not now, Mokuba. I'm going to see Shizuka."

"Then I _insist _that you speak to me."

"No."

"Se-"

"I am still older than you, Mokuba. Remember that."

Grinding his teeth in aggravation, Mokuba yielded. "Yes Seto."

It was Seto's own stupid life anyway. He'd screwed it up pretty badly already so what damage could not hearing what Mokuba had to say do? And, despite everything, Mokuba respected his brother's wishes and his brother's temper. When Seto used that tone of voice, he knew he had reached the edge.

"Good. We can talk when I get home."

"That'll do."

"It will have to." In a swirl of dark green trench coat Seto strode out the door and down to his waiting – matching – Mercedes convertible.

Halfway to Shizuka's apartment, as Seto was speeding down the highway, he realised that he had no idea if she was even back in the country. He could call Mokuba to find out but after their little exchange, he was sure his sibling would be fuming. Calling Mokuba would also mean declaring that he had been wrong and should have listened to his brother. So who else was there? He ran through a small list of personal acquaintances that he and Shizuka shared who would have the knowledge he lacked finally coming to the conclusion that the only person he could call would be... Joey.

He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, flipped it open and ran rapidly through his phonebook. Wheeler just _had_ to be at the very bottom of the list. The phone rang a reasonable amount of times before there was a voice on the other side.

"Speak."

"Wheeler."

"Moneybags? You're back?"

"Yes."

"So, what do you want?" Occasionally, it amazed Seto what the Mutt had done to his language structure over the years. He'd polished up, his accent only materializing when he was angry.

"I need to know if your sister's home." He could _see_ Joey tense up on the side of the line.

"Yeah, she's home. Why?"

"You get what you've always wanted tonight, Mutt."

"What?"

"I'm giving you what you've hoped for, Dog."

"Rich-boy, stop talkin' shit and spit it out."

"I'm leaving her." Silence. Prolonged silence. Either the Chihuahua had fainted from shock and elation or he was preparing to jump through the signal and strangle Seto.

"You're gonna do what?"

"I'm breaking up with Shizuka, Wheeler. Tonight... within the hour."

"Why are you telling me this, Kaiba?"

"Because you asked, that's why."

"Oh...yeah."

"I wonder why I bother."

Joey's grin sounded through, "Because we're _friends_, Wallet. You've gotta face it: you actually _like_ me and Yuge."

Strangely enough, Seto found himself smiling. "Yugi I can tolerate. _You_ are still a Mongrel."

"And you're still a Jack with a ten-foot pole up his ass. It doesn't stop you." The humour was evident in Joey's voice.

Seto chuckled outright. "Up yours, Wheeler."

Abruptly, the tone went from lightness to solemnity as Seto recognized Joey's 'big brother' intonation, "Kaiba listen. Don't hurt her. If you do, I swear your balls are my new Christmas ornaments."

"I won't, Wheeler." Seto knew it was true. He had a sneaky suspicion that Joey did too. "You have my word."

"Fine. Hold on. Yugi wants to ask you something." Seto waited patiently for his former rival turned highly-paid employee to say something. There was some shuffling and then: "Goodnight Kaiba. Welcome back."

For a second, Seto thought he was speaking to Yami. Yugi Motou had grown up. Considerably up, at that. "Yugi."

"I just wanted to find out if we'll still see you next Wednesday night."

"As usual, I suppose."

"Good... And don't worry about Shizuka. I'm sure she'll be _fine_." Yugi's manner reminded Seto a lot of Ishizu when she knew something he didn't. He shrugged it off. Millennium Item holders were weird people anyhow.

"Thanks."

"No problem, Kaiba. See you around."

"Bye."

Shizuka's apartment complex was just ahead. She was on floor 12. Stepping out of the elevator, Seto went over all the possible, logical reasons he would present to her. She would have to see it his way. If she didn't, however, he'd simply have to break his promise to her brother. In the end, it would be for her own good.

He had a key to apartment 145 so he didn't need to knock. She was his fiancée – anything she could possibly be doing, he's seen her do before. Thus, in his normal Kaiba style, he disregarded her need for any form of privacy or warning and barged into her flat. The living room was empty but there seemed to be some animation in the bedroom – probably the television. Drawing nearer, he recognized one of the voices as Shizuka's.

_Intriguing. _

* * *

Seto proceeded to swing the door of her room open wide and stood facing the bed in which an obviously naked Duke Devlin was half-covering Shizuka's similarly clothed (or unclothed) body with his own, their mouths fused. When he cleared his throat, the two sprung apart, both grabbing for the sheet. Shizuka was tomato red as she tried to cover her bare chest. Devlin, who had leapt to his feet, was tugging futilely at the edge of the same sheet, hoping to keep his lower half hidden.

"Seto–" she began, her voice catching.

"This isn't what it looks like, Kaiba." Duke said, looking terrified. Seto knew that Devlin wasn't regularly a push-over. They were of like stature although Seto had few more inches height but otherwise, they were physically equal. But Seto could understand that Duke, in his position of being butt-naked, was at a sore disadvantage.

Interestingly enough, Seto felt relieved. In fact he found the entire situation hilarious. Without warning, the meaning of what he'd just discovered impacted with his brain and the force made him giddy. Both Duke and Shizuka were perplexed as the infamous Seto Kaiba began to laugh at them.

Able to speak again after almost five minutes, Seto rasped merrily, "It's _exactly_ what it looks like, Devlin. But don't let me stop you. I'll leave. You've both made what I came here to do infinitely easier."

It was then that Shizuka understood the purpose of his impromptu visit. She felt like someone was taking something she hadn't looked at in years and found hardly any use for anymore but still had doubts about giving away. The ache wasn't that of losing something she loved. She looked up at his already turned back. "Seto I – I... It meant something while it lasted, Kaiba. I'll never forget you."

"Likewise Jonouchi. No hard feelings, Devlin." Then, he glanced at her over his shoulder, "I'll have your things sent over tomorrow."

Seto walked out the building feeling free. He looked up at the stars hoping truly that she was happy with her choice. He stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and stalked across the parking lot. However, four feet away from his car, a smile reached across lips as he arrived at one happy conclusion.

_Tonight, it would be only him and Anzu. He couldn't wait for sleep._

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: **Ok, so now that we've gotten rid of the fiancée, we can work on getting these two back together! I have also discovered that I ought to avoid writing from Mokuba's point of view. The first segment of this chapter was originally intended to be about four paragraphs; I wound up with two pages. Mokuba is just_ too_ good to resist. Ah well...

I also decided to show a different aspect of Seto and Mokuba's relationship that comes out more in manga than in the anime. Seto is indulgent but he can be strict. And I think that he was probably more _in character _in that moment than he has been all through the story. LOL

Now, to **explain **some things:

**(1)** **Sesai **– Anzu's sister's name means "worldly wisdom". I find it fitting for her character who, by the way, is based somewhat on the character of **Jun Kazuma**from **Tekken, the Movie**. I've always thought the resemblance between her and Anzu was striking.

**(2)** **Face the wall** – This is a punishment my brother's and I have been subjected to when we misbehaved. Being 16, I'm no longer applicable for such punishment. But until you're about 13 in my house, it's the most common form of retribution. It's effective since it's completely, mind-numbingly boring. You stand and stare at a wall for whatever period of time is prescribed. It's not particularly damaging in any way (e.g. physically or psychologically) but it's effective in curbing wayward children.

**(3)** **Moneybags, Mutt, Dog, Wallet etc...** - I'm sure you've noticed the fact that while Seto and Joey still tend to call each other these names, they've kind of become... nicknames instead of insults. I figured that if they've spent five years in each other's company and since Seto dated the two women that Joey loves as sisters, they could at least get along. And Yugi would generally make the effort.

Ok! That's all I've got to say for now.

**Disclaimer (for series): **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song **Here Without You** by **3 Doors Down**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. This song is a beauty. Whoever composed it deserves a Grammy. The music is so moving and the lyrics are tops. The mixing is superb. It's highly recommended.

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCIVE CRITISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES.**


	6. Lies You Can't Disguise

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 6: Lies You Can't Disguise**

_If I could turn the page  
In time then I'd rearrange just a day or two  
Close my, close my, close my eyes..._

_... No more broken hearts  
We're better off apart let's give it a try  
Tell me, tell me, tell me lies..._

_... Tell me lies  
Tell me sweet little lies  
(Tell me lies, tell me, tell me lies)  
Oh, no, no you can't disguise  
(You can't disguise, no you can't disguise)  
Tell me lies  
Tell me sweet little lies  
(Tell me, tell me lies)..._

**From:** Little Lies – Fleetwood Mac

* * *

Sesai studied her sister's form as it ascended the stairway. She had lacked advice for the first time in a long time. As a legal consultant to some of the largest companies in Asia, Sesai was unaccustomed to being in such a position. She really hated it...

Four years and something-months ago, Seto Kaiba had entered her life by accident. While on a spur of the moment shopping trip in downtown Tokyo, she had been caught in a sudden downpour. The most practical thing to do was to wait it out at her little sister's apartment. Anzu had not been expecting her that much was for sure...

_A soaking wet Sesai stood outside the door to Anzu's flat, ringing the doorbell impatiently. Wondering what was taking her sister so long; Sai concentrated on finding the nearest tea cup as soon as she was let inside. Finally, with a violent lurch, the apartment door was pulled open to reveal a very flustered looking Anzu. "Sai!" _

_The addressee raised an eyebrow. Was her baby sister supposed to look that lust-riddled? Anzu's hair was tousled, her cheeks were flushed, and her pyjamas looked like they'd been thrown on hurriedly and hung haphazardly on her slender frame. Most of all, she was radiating heat. On such a cold day, that was something to ponder. Curious, Sesai asked, "What have you been up to?"_

_It was obvious that the young Mazaki was guilty of something as her cheeks flared while she attempted to affect incredulousness and lie blatantly. "I haven't been up to anything, Sai. Wha-what would ever make you think th-that?" _

_Sesai almost snorted. And she had once considered her sister a potential candidate for a lawyer? Not with that weak a poker face. She noted that Anzu's voice was also rather breathless. All the signs were pointing in one direction the question was: was it the right direction? Anzu was barely nineteen and, of the two, had been the more reserved one when it came to boys and intimacy. Sure she had lots of friends who were boys but those friendships were platonic. _

"_Can I come in? It's freezing out here," Sai said gesturing around the chilly corridor she was standing in. To her amazement, Anzu looked hesitant. Suspicions confirmed. Someone else was in that apartment and her sister was not doing what their parents would regard as morally acceptable. After a moment, the door was opened wider and Sesai stepped into the apartment. _

"_Do you need to dry off?" Anzu queried, casting rapid, surreptitious glances at her bedroom door. "I can get you something dry to wear..." _

_For a moment, Sesai went with the face value and nodded. She rose and began walking in the direction of the bedroom when Anzu appeared in front of her, effectively blocking her from moving forward. This must be big, she thought. She let herself be steered towards the bathroom on the pretext of the bedroom being in a state. _

_The bedroom was separated from the bathroom by a walk-through closet. So, instead of beginning to undress, Sai opened the door to the closet, walked in, and pressed her ear against the closed one that separated it from the bedroom. She could clearly hear voices. One belonged – obviously – to Anzu. The other was a deep, sexy male she couldn't identify. She didn't even know Anzu had a boyfriend! Currently, Anzu was whisper-shrieking that he had to get out._

"..._have to leave!" There were sounds of draws opening and Sesai assumed that Anzu was, in fact, looking for clothes for her. "If my sister realizes you're here... I'll be up the creek with no paddle. My dad would be **so** furious." Anzu's quick footsteps came to an abrupt halt. The guy's voice was quiet, low-toned and slightly husky which made it harder for Sesai to make out what he was saying. She caught a snatch._

"_Calm down, Anzu. I'm leaving, ok? Now, just help me find my underwear..." Ok, **that** left little to the imagination. Except, what did he look like? She knew he sounded handsome and there was a hint of humour in his tone. _

"_No, find your own damn underwear. I'm trying to find something for my sister. The longer you take, the more elaborate an excuse – Seto!" And then there was quiet. Due to personal experience, Sesai knew what an exclamation like that generally meant. Without a doubt left as to what her little sister had been involved in, Sesai returned to the bathroom, mulling over this information as she dried. Seto, hmm? Interesting name. If she wasn't mistaken, Anzu had mentioned him once in a while. Never in this sense though. It had always had the spice of dislike. Well, **apparently**, they liked each other well enough now._

_Seconds later, Anzu rapped at the bathroom door and handed her some clothing then scampered quickly off. Instantaneously, Sesai opened the door a little and peeked out. She could see the front door clearly. When two figures stepped into her line of vision, she gasped. She knew who 'Seto' was now. Seto Kaiba, **the** Seto Kaiba, was sleeping with her sister? She couldn't tell Anzu about bad taste in men anymore... She watched their brief exchange raptly. _

"_I'm sorry about this, Seto," Anzu said, stroking his cheek. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."_

_He sighed, looking disappointed but smirked as he asked, "Promise to finish what we started?"_

_Anzu blushed and nodded almost undetectably then, with an expression Sesai had never seen on her sister's face – a mixture of wickedness, anticipation and lust – she tiptoed to whisper something in Seto's ear. His eyes widened and darkened at the same time. Sesai was glad she didn't hear what **that** was. As Seto turned to leave, Anzu asked, "You'll be back though, won't you?"_

_He grinned rakishly at her as he replied, "Have to come sometime."_

_Anzu's face was scandalized as she caught on to the pun. "Just go. She should be out any minute." Then she reached up and pecked him on the cheek. Not bothering to see him leave, Anzu turned on her heel and walked back to the bedroom. Although Anzu missed it Sesai saw the look of total devotion that flashed across Kaiba's face before he left. _

_If she loves him half as much as that, Sai thought, then they might as well do what they want. They're going to end up married anyway._

Sesai frowned solemnly. _Oh, how wrong she had been._

* * *

"Good day, Ms. Jonouchi. How may I help you?"

Shizuka knew that Ashiro (1) was above reading the tabloids she had seen on her way here this morning but she still felt uneasy standing before the formidable personal assistant to her now ex-fiancé. Something about the way this lady treated her was reminiscent of the way Mokuba reacted to her presence, with tolerance and not much more.

"I'm here to see Mr. Kaiba, please. If he has the time." Ashiro raised an eyebrow seemingly at the formality of her request. However, even if she was curious, nothing further was said as the older woman turned and spoke quietly into a private line that connected her directly to the CEO. After a few brief words, Ashiro turned back and nodded, signalling that she could proceed.

Quietly, slowly, Shizuka made her way into Seto's office. She had only been allowed in a handful of times and even then, she remained rather far from his desk. Now, she wondered why that was. She had never questioned it before but as she thought back, it seemed odd that she should be kept distanced from his desk and his bedroom. She remembered thinking that she had not found any incriminating evidence of another woman's presence but perhaps she had never been in the right places to find it.

"Good morning, Shizuka."

She looked up at Kaiba's face and noticed that he looked rested. Well rested. "Good morning Seto. I came to speak to you."

"If this is about last night, Shizuka, I meant what I said. It really is alright with me if you prefer to pursue a relationship with Devlin. I haven't been the... best boyfriend, I can admit that, and you deserve happiness."

"Thank you, Seto. But that wasn't what I came here to talk about. I understood that you were serious – even if you were laughing like a lunatic, which had me worried, by the way. I have other questions."

Seto was interested. She had other questions. What could she possibly-? And then it hit him. He shot a quick glance at the photo to his right, one slightly nearer than his picture of himself and Mokuba. _Damn._ Feigning ignorance of the fact that he had another woman's picture framed on his desk, he gestured for his ex-fiancée to sit in one of the plush leather chairs opposite him. He leaned forward, indicating that he was listening. "Hopefully, I've got answers."

She smiled at him, looking at ease in his company once again. "I know you think this is none of my business but... I had to compete with her for three years, Seto. Can't you at least tell me who she is?"

His eyes widened for a split second before he dropped his mask of confusion dropped neatly into place, the perfect disguise. "What?"

"You know what I'm talking about, Seto. Don't insult my intelligence." She smirked to see him redden minutely. "I know there was... _someone _before me. I know you loved her. In fact, I think that.... you _still_ love her."

She peered at him intently as she repeated her question, "Who is she?"

His lips were pulled in a grim line as he fought an internal battle over whether to tell her or not. Last night, he had broken up with her rather unceremoniously although his intentions had been more expansive. Figuring that he owed her this – after all, like she said, she'd been running blind against an invisible opponent throughout their relationship – he took a deep breath and picked up the photograph he had forgotten to hide.

It was a clear shot of her face, easily recognizable. She was smiling at the camera with her arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind. He'd been lifting her up somewhat and it had been a windy autumn day so their hair was flying this way and that. But there was no way anyone could mistake the face.

Shizuka waited patiently as he studied the image. She ventured a quiet, "Is it Ishizu?"

He looked up, befuddled. "Ishizu? Why would you think that?"

"Because... I don't know. It seemed logical enough."

"It's not as obvious as you'd think, Shizuka," he confessed while fingering the frame. "It was a well-guarded secret. Tea and I had something very special."

He turned the photo toward her and, as she gasped, smiled half-bitter half-apologetic and said, _"**Anzu** and I had something incredible."_

* * *

"Are you going home?" Sesai asked as she fed her daughter Gerber apple snacks. "Or are you going back to Tokyo?"

Anzu plopped down on the sofa, looking much more like her easy-going, relaxed self in a loose t-shirt and jeans. "Home. Technically, I'm off work for the next few months. After a full two-year stint, I'm _supposed _to get a break... but it was awful to leave."

"You weren't cancelled though."

"No. We pick up again later in the year. Different theatre, same troupe, new act. The Heads like variety."

"That's good, right?" Anzu chuckled at her sister's slightly clueless look. Sesai really had no idea what it was like to work as a performer. Anzu equated it to her own inability to grasp working through huge corporate cases. "Yeah, it's a good thing."

"So have you decided what you're going to do about Kaiba?" The unexpected inquiry stunned Anzu for a moment. Shaking herself out of it, she seriously pondered her possible responses. She had only spent fifteen minutes thinking about it last night. She had fallen asleep, more exhausted than she had been in a long time. Finally, she realized something:

"I can't do anything about him."

"What? Why not?" The elder Mazaki sister was confused.

"Think about it, Sai. He said he still loves me but he didn't say anything else."

"He told you that his present relationship with what's-her-face is a mistake."

"The operative word there is 'is'... He's still with her and I don't remember hearing anything about him planning a change of status."

"But Anzu-"

"Sai, he's still engaged. I can't do anything to change that and, really, even if I could, I don't know if I'd want to," she stared out the window with a pensive expression on her face. "Seto Kaiba is a... complicated can of worms."

"But you love him."

Anzu turned and smiled guiltily, "Yes. I do... with all my heart. _But sometimes, love just isn't enough."_

"Wh-why didn't you tell me?" Shizuka asked when she regained the capacity for speech. She was beyond shocked. Never – _never_ – in all her time with him had she thought that Seto had been dating _Anzu Mazaki_. As in: her brother's best friend, one of _her_ oldest friends, the dreamer, the dancer, the star. _Anzu?_ ...Oh no.

Suddenly, she was on her feet, pacing up and down, the photograph still gripped tightly in her hand. She looked from it to Seto to it again and then she paced some more. The look on her face was the most horrified and guilty look Seto had ever seen her wear. "_Oh my God_! This was – it was – Oh! Seto, I'm _so_ sorry!"

"It's nothing to be sorry about, Shizuka."

"No! It _is_. I-I have something – I have to... Oh, _I'm sorry_, Seto. I feel like a prize idiot now. How couldn't I-? Was it-? _Ooh_, you two were _good _liars."

"Shizuka, sit down and form a coherent sentence," he commanded. So she did. It was the most sensible thing to do, after all. She remained quiet for a period, thinking back over the years, wondering how the two of them could have possibly kept something so big a secret for such a long time.

It was impossible for them to have been together throughout Battle City. She had been blind for some of it but when she was able to see again, she was pretty sure that there had not been anything to hint at any emotional attachment between them. Anzu had rooted for Yugi – or Yami depending on how one looked at it – instead of Kaiba in the finals. But then again, Anzu stared spending less time with them after the tournament. No one doubted the excuses Anzu gave to run home, to dance class. No one doubted _Anzu_. Maybe they should have been a bit more observant.

"Oh God," Shizuka mumbled. Though the memory was jumbled due to the blurring effect alcohol tended to have on her brain, Shizuka knew that Anzu had said something important the night she (Anzu) had returned to Domino to celebrate Joey's 20th birthday. The bash had been held at Yugi's place. Because she was drunk and did not want to take the chance of doing something stupid that she would regret in the morning with the boys (for example, egging someone's house) Anzu had spent most of the time in Shizuka's company.

Anzu had admitted _something_. It had to do with Kaiba but Shizuka, being under-aged and drunk as a fish, hadn't had and still did not have the capability to remember what she'd said. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that Anzu had told her about the two of them. Conversely, she vividly remembered the way Seto had looked when she'd next come across him after their first encounter. He'd been distraught. He had _told _her that he'd lost his will to live. And he had just given her the answer to the questions she had mentally asked him in the limo two months ago:

_What are you hiding, Seto Kaiba? What causes your world to crash? What makes you cry? Why won't you tell me? Who was she? _The answer to all of these was a simple, four letter word: _Anzu_. She shook her head, she _was_ in trouble.

"Seto, I have s-something t-to tell y-you." Shizuka took a deep breath, knowing now that she was about to confess to one of the vilest sins known to man: the ruination of another's happiness. "I know why you broke up. It was that night that you and I first... slept together. That one night in Kyoto, right?"

The reply was instantaneous and non-verbal. The look in his eyes, on his face, was enough. She had never felt so...wretched. "I-I know this isn't anything now but I'm sorry, Seto. If I'd known I wouldn't have... _I'm sorry_." She took a deep breath.

"What are you talking about, Shizuka?"

"The night you and I slept together, I – I spiked your drink." Quickly, she continued, hoping the implication wouldn't sink in before she was able to tell him the whole story. "I was drunk, I had just broken up with my old boyfriend, one of my 'friends' had some E, I wasn't thinking straight, it was a bet – a _stupid_ bet – and...I'm _really, really, really_ sorry."

She watched him realize the significance of her admission. It wasn't a pretty sight. A part of her wanted to flee, run as fast and as far as her legs could carry her. It insisted that he was going to kill her. But to turn and run would be worse than what she'd just said she'd done. He opened is mouth more than once to speak and closed it again, looking more lost than she'd ever seen him. Then, salvaging his composure, his face went completely straight. When his eyes locked on hers she didn't know what to think.

Teeth clenched, he said in a deadly calm, even voice, "In your...ignorance, you took away... the most precious thing in the world to me. I've spent the past three _years_... wasting time wi-" He paused, seemingly aware of the fact that he was going to hurt her. This did not, however, stop his eyes from raking over her face with what appeared to be revulsion. He took a deep, soothing breath then continued. "I can see you didn't mean to do you what you did... and now, I have the freedom to set things right again."

He stood up and walked to his door. When he got there, he turned and faced her again with an air of finality about him.

"_Goodbye, Shizuka."_

* * *

"**The whole issue is that I'm not quite sure what to do about this. It's obvious that there is some truth in it but I simply can't believe all of it. Especially this." **

* * *

Anzu waited patiently for someone to answer. She knew how busy the office could be. Finally a familiar voice emanated from the telephone.

"Tokyo Dance Theatre, Shigeru Owaru's office, how may I help you?"

"Hey Kasumi, it's Anzu."

"Morning Anzu, welcome back. I'll put you right through, ok?"

"Thanks." After a few moments of pleasant classical holding music, Anzu was greeted by her manager. He sounded aggravated, tired and relieved. Exactly as she had predicted.

"Listen Mazaki, no small talk. I'm trying to deal with a major situation so just tell me where you've been." Though he was not hostile, he was crisp. It had Anzu taken aback.

"I'm sorry Shigeru. I've been at Sesai's. I know I should have called when I left France but... it's a long story. What wrong?"

"Why did you leave France, Anzu?" On her end of the line, Anzu frowned. It was her business. But he seemed to know something she didn't.

"I wanted to see my sister." _Liar_, she thought to herself.

"Don't lie to me, Anzu." He knew something that much was for sure. "In case you haven't seen this morning's papers, you're the cover page."

"Me? Why?" She hadn't done anything spectacular. Her show had closed and she'd been living quietly out of town since. Still, even with this knowledge, she had a growing feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

"I had no idea you had... friends," the way he said the word made it sound insufficient, "...in such high places."

"What?"

"_Precisely what I said."_

* * *

It was rare for Seto Kaiba to spend a day away from the world. He had spent all of the previous night putting the finishing touches on one of his latest projects. Exhausted, he had retired to his room, showered and fallen asleep on his bed as the sun rose. With every method of communication with the outside world turned off and a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on his bedroom door; Seto had not seen another human all day long.

A solitary creature by nature, this did not bother him. Unfortunately, he had realized as he lay staring at his ceiling that he was going to be late for his weekly session with Yugi and Joey. Thus, he made his way down the stairs of his mansion at 7:30 p.m., not bothering to stop for the day's headlines.

Later, he parked his Honda-NSX Type R (he didn't trust downtown enough to use his more expensive vehicles, even if it was Yugi's posh area) in the parking lot of Yugi's downtown Domino apartment complex. Being the still reigning champion of Duel Monsters, the 'King of Games' was not doing badly for himself. What Kaiba found ironic was that even though the duel disks had mostly been designed specifically to aid in Seto's own defeat of Yugi Motou, it was Yugi who now endorsed them to the world, working exclusively for Kaiba Corp.

Wheeler too was another surprising employee of Kaiba Corp. He worked in the Development and Testing Department. Apart from his history, familiarity and somewhat exclusive knowledge of all the versions of Seto's duel disks, Joey also had a sound knowledge of computer engineering and the degree to prove it. Though not a regular duellist any longer, Joey was still world-ranked and often did charity gigs for various causes.

Kaiba smirked. Talk about a bite in the ass. Sometimes it amazed him how far they had come; from enemies to friends, from dimwits to degrees. Fate had quite a sense of humour. Speaking of which...

Yugi's door was yanked open seconds after he rung the doorbell. Service was prompt. He raised a signature eyebrow at a fuming Joey. He sent a quizzical glance in Yugi's direction. No help. Motou was deep in thought before a spread of newspapers across his dining room table. Seto's gaze reverted to Wheeler.

"What Mutt?"

"_What_ is exactly what I wanna know, Kaiba." Joey produced a newspaper and lifted it to Kaiba's eye level. Seto's eyes widened as he read the headline. Joey growled as he observed it.

"_Explain."_

* * *

The headlines ranged from 'brief and tasteful' to 'long and offensive'; from 'acceptable if slightly suggestive but mostly true' to 'downright outrageous'. They included: **The Best for the Best - the KAIBA/MAZAKI Connection. **It was by far the most factual and accommodating. Others tended to be more inflammatory, for example: **UNFAITHFUL - SETO KAIBA's affair revealed! ANZU MAZAKI in hiding! **Yet the worst was: **DEVIL IN DANCE SHOES - Local dancer ANZU MAZAKI ensnares CEO SETO KAIBA in dangerous web of SEX, LIES AND DRUGS.**

After a while, Seto stopped reading. Anymore and he would have to hurt something. He looked from Yugi's contemplative face to Joey's confused and angry expression and finally to Mokuba's imploring look. It was time to come clean.

"How long have you two been in love, Seto?" The quiet question stunned three of the four men back to reality. Yugi sat looking as wise as the Pharaoh opposite Kaiba and waiting patiently for a reply.

"We're not gonna hurt you or anything, ya know. What's done is done," Joey added. He sensed Seto's reluctance to say anything. In his most serious tone he said, "Shizuka told me what happened so you don't have to worry about me maiming you."

"Seto," this was Mokuba, "they have a right to know. They're your friends – yours and hers."

So he consented. He was going to tell them the whole story. It was what they wanted to know. No doubt they were curious. He took a deep breath - for he was not one to frequently expound on his deepest emotions to a rapt audience - and began.

"Anzu and I started dating -"

"No Kaiba, start at the beginning," Yugi interrupted. Seto stared at him for a while before nodding. It was farther back than he had wanted to pry but perhaps it was for the best.

"I think the initial attraction happened at Duellist Kingdom. She was so...alive. There was something about her...the was she spoke her mind, the way she could stand up for herself and for what she believed in with such... vigour. And her eyes... they sparkle when she's angry, did you know?"

Joey was grinning and Seto noticed it. "Yeah Wheeler, she got to me. But I didn't do anything about it. She was _your_ friend and I valued my life, as meaningless as it may have been."

All three men narrowed their eyes at his confession but said nothing. He continued, "I... Well, I suppose you could say that I really had a hard time until Battle City."

The audience grinned, recognizing the insinuation.

"Nothing became of those thoughts though. I attributed them to too much time spent in Pegasus' mind games. I continued to live my life the way I always had, ignoring the fact that she could be anything more than Yugi's cheerleader. It didn't help. There were still those last few weeks of high school. Finally, summer arrived. Then it was easier to pretend that she didn't exist. I was too busy with work, with duelling, with trying to defeat Yugi, with Ishizu -"

"Cough it up Yuge," Joey suddenly interrupted, turning to Yugi who was digging a hand into his pocket. "Told ya they had something."

"Wrong Mutt." Joey's face fell. "I tried. She had... a prior engagement."

Yugi smiled smugly. He murmured a single word: "Yami."

Then he pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his fingers. Joey muttered an oath under his breath and turned back to Seto.

"So Anzu was some kind of fall-back from Ishizu?" Joey asked, clearly displeased with the idea. Mokuba's eyes widened as he waited for Seto to explode. However, his older bother surprised everyone in his reply. Though his face remained mainly expressionless, his midnight eyes blazed with palpable fury as he retorted sternly, "She was _never _a fall-back for anyone. I loved Anzu. _Never_ doubt that, Wheeler."

Joey nodded solemnly and Seto returned to his tale. "But, as I was saying, things happened, weeks passed and suddenly I owed her my brother's life. So when you two had that crazy-ass duel on the docks and she was chained under that container, I realized that that was my chance to repay the debt. As much as I wanted to just get it over with, I saw that the risk was too great..."

Seto settled his eyes on his younger brother and said, "Mokuba asked me to do something to stop you two but I couldn't. If either of you stopped, Anzu was dead... Somehow I knew that you two would never be worth what she was. At least not to me. So I waited, almost unable to breathe – yes Mokuba, that's why I wasn't talking – until the duel was over."

He took a shuddering breath and admitted, "Those were probably two of the most agonizing hours of my life. She wasn't an active part of my life but she represented something I needed – she was hope. They say the opposite of love is not hate but indifference and that there's a thin line between love and hate. She was never indifferent to me. She showed enough emotion to allow me to think that – perhaps – someone other than Mokuba cared for me; _could_ care for me. I refused to lose that. I don't know if either of you are aware of this but while you two were rescuing each other, the Rare Hunter tried to drop that container. I was so pissed I threw my Blue Eyes card at him without a second thought. Mokuba got her out of the chair, which I was glad of because my fingers were shaking."

He glanced down at his hands then, taking everyone else's gazes with him. They were trembling visibly. Yugi and Joey were beginning to wonder if their insurances were up-to-date for if Kaiba kept surprising them at this rate, both of them would have heart attacks before the night was out.

"Nothing was the same after that. She haunted me. Even after I lost to Yugi in the finals, her image was there, her presence was there. It was driving me crazy minute by minute. Then it happened."

The smile on his face was nothing less than the acidic of the saccharine. It pulled at the guts of all three men there. There was no way to fake that expression.

"It was night, too quiet and I was sick of seeing her face everywhere so I went for a walk. I don't believe in fated accidents but it had to have been one for me to end up at the docks just minutes before she did... Right there and then, the first thing she said to me was 'thank you'. A week later, we met in Tokyo, both in the same university. And it had begun." His expression grew wistful.

"It was awkward at first. She got frustrated with my unresponsiveness a lot, I used to be irritated by her perkiness and unrelenting attempts to, and I quote, 'make me friendly'. But somewhere in the middle of trying to get rid of each other, we became friends. From there things grew. It took me a while to realize that what we had going on was more than friendship, that the fact that I _needed_ to at least hear her voice everyday was not platonic. And one day she tried to pull me into one of her ideas. She told me that I was still much too uptight but she looked... I kissed her. I _had_ to." He smirked. "She didn't exactly mind."

Quickly, Seto glanced away from them, his cheeks warm. "We were friends for about three-quarters of a year. We were together for two years – exactly two years. The week before our second anniversary I took a short weekend trip to Kyoto – a routine business thing. I walked into a bar and woke up the next morning next to the most unexpected of people." Here he sent a pointed glance in Joey's direction. The blond made the connection and understood: Shizuka.

"We celebrated at my place, she spent Saturday night. She found out on Sunday. And I didn't see her again until earlier this year in February. She is one woman who knows how to disappear." He picked up one of the discarded newspapers and stared at the photograph – a large one, a clear shot of her in his arms with their mouths fused, their kiss looking only half as passionate as it had been.

"On the trip to Rome, Shizuka said she didn't want to accompany me to France. I didn't argue with her. But I am becoming a believer in Fate. All these pictures are real." And that was all he had to say.

They were hushed incorporating this new information and adjusting their memories to fit. Some things made more sense, some made less. Then, Joey voiced a question that had been nagging at the back of everyone's minds:

"_So why didn't you guys tell **us**?"_

* * *

**Author's Note:** It's been a while since my last update. Although there is no real Seto/Anzu interaction, I think this chapter serves its purpose. Have started work on new chapter already. I had a few things to do, like graduate.

I would like to point out that I **do not** condone the use of prohibited drugs. I also advise moderation when consuming alcohol. Neither does one any good. As to the issue of pre-marital sex, that's a personal something you have to decide. Don't let me influence you.

With regards to my choice of song, I realize that no one has actually told anyone an outright lie in the chapter but they are being made aware of lies that they were told in the past. I think it fits.

A small note of **explanation:**

**Ashiro **– See my other Seto/Anzu story, **Despite What You Might Think. **As an original character, she is my version of Seto's personal secretary.

And now, to reply to **Azurite**:

First up; **thank you**. It's a real compliment to have other great authors praise your work. In response to your comment about my calling Shizuka 'the Katsuya girl', I have checked it out (i.e. in the official manga) and have to admit that you were quite correct. 'Jonouchi' is the family name. I have made the necessary revisions. Thanks for pointing it out -!

**Disclaimer (for series): **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song (**Sweet) Little Lies** by **Fleetwood Mac**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. It's one my favourite FM songs.

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES. **


	7. Make Amends

**IMPORTANT: **I ask you all to not hate me after you're done with this chapter. I've decided to test out a few experimental pairings in this story. And remember: I **do** love Joey!

**You, Revisited**

**Chapter 7: Make Amends**

_...We must be fools, we must be crazy  
When there's no  
Communication  
It's a no win situation..._

_...Ain't it time we started tryin'  
Gotta stop this love from dying..._

_...How can we be lovers if we can't be friends?  
How can we start over when the fighting never ends?  
Baby, how can we make love if we can't make amends?  
Tell me how we can be lovers if we can't be,  
Can't be friends?_

**From: **How Can We Be Lovers – Michael Bolton

* * *

The shrill ring of Yugi's telephone cut through the dull hum of the prevailing silence in the apartment. Four heads jerked upward at the sound. Yugi grabbed the cordless.

"Hello?" They waited patiently for a signal of who it was. Instead Yugi said, "Sure. Hold on."

Then he rose to his full height (minus hair it equalled an inch below Joey's 5'10"), covered the mouth piece and excused himself. Yugi and Yami passed easily for twins now, alike in stature and looks since Yugi's features had sharpened. The only difference was that Yugi had a more indulgent disposition. Before he could fully disappear into his bedroom, they heard him ask in a tender tone, "What's wrong Love?"

The remaining three exchanged bewildered glances. Joey, one eye brow hiked up, quoted, "'Love'?"

"Since when did Yugi get a girlfriend?" Mokuba queried.

"'When did Yugi start dating?' is the more appropriate question," Seto corrected.

Mokuba shrugged, "Who knew? Anyway, I got class bright and early tomorrow morning so I better start heading back."

He turned to his brother and signalled toward the door. Seto followed him out. Once they were out of Joey's range of hearing, Mokuba said, "They had to find out some time, Seto."

Seto nodded, accepting the fact. Mokuba swept an assessing look over his big brother's face. "You're ok though? You just...spilled."

"I'm fine, Kiddo. It was good to say it out loud."

Soon, it was just Seto and Joey left in front of a monotonous, ignored TV. Joey took a bathroom break. When he returned, he poked around in the fridge for bit then offered Seto a beer.

"No thanks. I don't drink beer."

"Moneybags, I've seen you drink," Joey protested, not fully hearing Kaiba's declaration.

"Yeah Mutt. But I don't drink _beer_. Not since..." He left the sentence to hang.

"Oh. Yeah... Coke?"

"I suppose."

Joey plopped down on the other end of the couch, propped his ankles up on the coffee table and tossed Seto his Coke. The CEO caught it with ease, noting that Joey had also vetoed the beer. After a few moments, Joey spoke, his voice full of humour.

"Ya know Kaiba, you and me ain't that different," he declared. "I mean, apart from the obvious – we're both duellists etc. And don't jibe at me being a third-rate duellist 'cause I nearly beat your ass already and you know it."

Seto smirked. "I wasn't going to."

"But we've got other things in common."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "Such as...?"

"Well, we've both got younger siblings to look out for and we'd both kill for 'em."

"One."

"We both had total fuck-ups for paternal figures. My dad was a drunk-ass do-nothing and your adoptive father was a psychotic over-achiever. Plus, we both hated 'em."

"Two."

"And – now this is da big one – we both managed to screw up Perfect. You and Anzu and me and–"

"Valentine?"

"Yeah."

"What happened to her, Wheeler?" Seto ventured, curious about this particular comparison.

"She moved away, moved on and got married."

"To whom?" No one had heard about Mai's wedding until it was over. Seto hadn't taken the time to find out who she married. He expected it to be the movie-star guy or someone equally inconsequential.

Joey glowered, "The fucking Egyptian lunatic."

Seto's eyes widened. Now _that_ was unexpected. "Didn't he put her in a coma six years ago?"

"Technically no. It's like Yugi with the light/dark crap. She claims he isn't what he used to be." It was evident that this pissed the blonde off to no end.

"Isn't he younger than you are?"

"No. he and Mai are the same age."

"And he's how much younger than Ishizu?"

"About three years."

Seto snorted. "Jesus. No wonder she turned me down. I was practically a child compared to her."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Wait – you didn't know how old she was?"

"Did anyone know anything about her?"

"_Does _anyone? Seriously though Kaiba, listen to me. Don't let Anzu go. You've got a second freakin' chance. Don't blow it."

"I take it that's your stamp of approval then, Mutt."

"_Hell_ Wallet, I always knew she liked you. And vice versa."

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"You two have only been making eyes at each other since we were fourteen."

"Not since fourteen, Mutt."

"Well, not you maybe. I always wondered what she was looking at. It took _you _long enough to notice her, anyway."

"Really?" Seto had long given up trying to appear nonchalant.

"Were you even _at_ Battle City? You're lucky you skipped town early after Grad. I was about to corner you and bloody well _make _you kiss her."

"Like you could have."

"_You _didn't see her face when Mokuba showed up at the Game Shop and told us you'd taken off early. Trust me, I woulda found a way."

Knowing Joey's fierce loyalty, Seto was compelled to believe him. "Don't worry Wheeler. I don't intend to let her go."

"Then start planning, Kaiba. She'll be back home Monday after next." Yugi's unexpected input made both men jump. Joey wheeled on his friend as Seto pulled out his phone and sent himself a reminder of the date. When he turned back, Yugi was trying to explain something.

"Come on, Joey. I was at a thing and she happened to be there. Miho didn't –"

"Miho? _Yellow Ribbon_ Miho? You're dating Honda's Miho?"

"Hey! She's not Honda's!" Then Yugi blushed at his outburst. He confessed, "Yeah. I am."

"And you didn't tell us?"

"Shut up, Kaiba," Yugi retorted.

_Seto laughed. _

* * *

Anzu Mazaki was one of four first class passengers on the flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo. It was early afternoon and she was wide awake. She stared unblinkingly out of the small window, contemplating what awaited her upon arrival. How was she going to get past the press? When the aeroplane touched down, she got her answer. Shigeru was waiting for her at the door of the aeroplane. He credited it to security privileges for the rich and famous. At Immigration he offered her a huge brown trench coat. She took one look at it and gave him a 'you've-got-to-be-kidding-me' look.

"What?" he asked, puzzled by Anzu's attitude toward the proffered clothing.

"Nothing. Let's go."

"Ok." And he nodded at some bodyguards standing a few feet away. She found herself surrounded by men in dark suits and glasses. Shigeru took her arm in his hand and began steering their formation out of the airport. Once they were past the required security check points, they were swarmed. As the reporters asked questions – all of which Shigeru fended off with "No comment" – Anzu paid careful attention to what they were saying.

_Ms Mazaki: is it true that you and Seto Kaiba are together? _She had expected that one. No.

_How do you two know each other? _It was obvious that someone would ask this. We went to school together. We were enemies. We were friends. We were lovers. We more than 'know' each other.

_Can you clarify what it was you were doing in France?_ Honestly, that's none of your business but if you must know, I was on holiday, you idiots. I'm entitled to some rest.

_Do you admit that you two shared a kiss? _Hell yes. And it was, like all his kisses, breathtaking. But you didn't hear that from me.

_Do you and Kaiba intend to continue your relationship? _Dude, even if I had an answer to that I wouldn't tell you.

_What do you intend to do about Shizuka Jounouchi? _What? Ok,_ that_ she hadn't expected. Maybe she should have. Her only possible reply: The bitch knew. LOL

They had reached the limo by the time she was assaulted with the final enquiry. Shigeru followed her inside and slammed the door shut. She began to laugh as they drove away. He scowled at her.

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed that. You'll have to get used to it."

"It's not that."

"So what is it?"

"It's nothing."

"That's getting on my nerves. But I should bring you up-to-date. Between yesterday and today, your infamy has skyrocketed yet again – along with Kaiba's."

Anzu mulled over this for a moment then asked, "So what have you told the press?"

"We've been sticking to company policy. Until you explain yourself and what you'd like to have said, we don't comment. So far all our replies have been based on your mother's instructions. We say that you know each other through your mutual friend Yugi Motou, that you are friends and that any further comments will come directly from you."

Anzu's eyes widened. "Mom told you to say that _I_ would comment."

"You'll have to."

"Fine." She gazed at the familiar scenery whipping by outside the tinted windows until she realized that Shigeru was looking at her – intently. She turned back to him aggravated. She hated when people did that. "What?"

"How come you never told us you knew him?"

"I never thought it would affect my dance career whether or not I was his friend. This isn't exactly his circle."

"But you're a part of his circle," he pointed out.

"I _was_. That was a long time ago."

"Anzu answer me truthfully, what's the connection between you two? I've seen the photos. There's something there."

Anzu looked at him, studying him, sizing him up. She had known him for just over a year. They were close but... she hadn't even told Yugi and the boys about her and Seto. Was she going to tell Shigeru? She closed her eyes and decided that this was different. This was business. This was for the good of her public image and her career in general. Besides, she was only going to tell him the basics. They other's had probably already wrung the details out of Seto and Mokuba by now.

"Seto and–" she noticed the raised eyebrow at her use of the CEO's first name so she repeated it to make things clear. "_Seto_ and I went to high school together. I was best friends with Yugi Motou and Joey Wheeler. I was at Duellist Kingdom with them and at Battle City. I saved Mokuba's – his little bother's – life and, in return, Seto saved mine. He doesn't like debts. When Yugi made an effort to be his friend, I did too. We dated, we broke up. The end. It's not something I like to talk about. We didn't part on very friendly terms."

"What happened?"

"Lots, ok?" she snarled, "Look, I don't want to talk about this, Shigeru. Kaiba and I have a lot of history... a lot of _personal_ history that I haven't even told the guys at home about. Let me put it this way: the pictures are real. Now I want you to tell the press that there is nothing going on and that Seto and I are just friends. Yes, we did see – meet – each other in France briefly but it was not what they think. Make up something about the kiss – anything. I want you to also tell them that Shizuka is one of my oldest friends and that we are _still_ friends."

Shigeru was busily taking notes.

"Oh yes! Before you say anything though, contact his PR department and corroborate the story on both sides, divergent ones will arouse suspicion. If they give you a hard time, which I doubt they will, speak directly to Ashiro. Get every detail in sync. He's going to avoid making any statements personally and so will I. If it's _absolutely_ necessary for me to say something, try to make it anytime within the week because I plan to head home soon – what?"

Anzu stopped her professional delivery of instructions when she realized that her manager had stopped taking notes and was looking at her, his expression a mixture of thinly veiled shock, awe and amusement. He blinked then replied, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you Anzu? Not only are you a great dancer but you're an expert at press management. To top it all off, you just pulled Seto Kaiba out of an invisible hat. Where exactly did you learn to juggle the media?"

"Lit major. One of my favourite professors used to say that Literature is a reflection of Life. A student of Literature is more adept at judging and handling people than anyone else. And I have a minor in Communications." She grinned, "Plus I had a skilled tutor."

Almost unbelievably, Shigeru was about to ask who until he realized that that was a stupid question. The answer: Seto Kaiba. Who else? He settled for murmuring, "OK."

His cell-phone rang, halting conversation. Anzu took the time to glance around the company limo. Impressive but – and she could discriminate – not as lavish as some she had previously utilized. Shigeru was about to hang up, "Right. Lo–later Kasumi."

Secretly, Anzu smiled. It was about time the two of them got together. A blind man could have seen Kasumi's obvious affection for the way-too-cool brunette manger that was her boss from a mile away. Shigeru on the other hand, though known to be surrounded by beautiful women had never shown interest in any. But the overt soft-spot for his fiery, hot-tempered, carrot-top secretary did not go unnoticed.

"What are you so engrossed in?" Shigeru asked.

"Just wondering when I was upgraded to limo status."

"Since yesterday of course. You_ are_ Seto Kaiba's girlfriend, you know."

_Anzu laughed._

* * *

"Mom, I'm going to head round to the Game Shop, ok?" Anzu called out as she approached the door of her parents' penthouse Domino apartment. She'd never been a poor girl. Her mother's head popped out from behind the door of a kitchen cabinet.

"Are you sure? With all the press coverage–"

"I'll be fine Mom. My windows are tinted, remember?"

"If you're sure."

"I am. See you later. Love you."

"Bye Baby."

Anzu shut the door and made it all the way to the parking lot without thinking she heard a camera snap. No wonder Seto had resorted to intimidation. She located her royal blue Lotus Elise (with tinted windows) and was shortly speeding to her old hang out. Both Joey and Yugi had promised to be there today. She smiled when she pulled up to the familiar curb.

The entrance to the Kame [Turtle] Game Shop stood looking much the way it had throughout her childhood and adolescence. However, the establishment itself now included most of the block. She navigated her way through aisles of board-games, video-games etc, until she spotted it: the huge Duel Monsters section. Shelves upon shelves were laden with cards – in packs, in Starter decks, in Structure decks. She observed that there was an entire sub-section devoted to Kaiba Corp gaming technology. It was impossible to miss with the huge KC logo hovering above it. Then there were monster posters and (amusingly enough) duellist posters.

She stopped for a moment to leaf through the display, looking for people she knew. Sure enough, there was Duke. He was followed by Joey. She couldn't help the childishness in her coming out as she wrinkled her nose at the picture but she to admit that it was flattering. Anzu could imagine how many teenage girls swooned just looking at these.

Flipping quickly past Weevil, who had always freaked her out, she had to turn back to Rex Raptor to make sure it was him. Weird, a change of style was all he needed and he might have been able to get a girlfriend. She passed a few newbies, younger than her friends and promising but still not on top.

Then she came across Yugi's poster and smiled fondly at it. She turned the page and saw Yami, who had established himself as Yugi's older brother. They shared the title of "King of Games" now while the Motou family was dubbed gaming royalty. He was as handsome as she remembered. Idly, she wondered how Ishizu was doing.

The next poster was probably pasted above many boys' beds. It featured the busty blonde, Mai Valentine-Ishtar. Now _that _had freaked out but not entirely surprised Anzu. Following Mai was her new husband, Marik Ishtar, who duelled often now, according to the rules and minus the Millennium Rod.

After him came the integrated Ryou Bakura. Unlike Yami and Yugi, Ryou had fused with his yami making one balanced person. _And what a person he is_, Anzu thought. Ryou had always been attractive but with the daredevil air added by his yami's influence, he was downright hot. Nevertheless, she'd never been interested in him that way. She continued browsing, coming across others she had met in her lifetime, like Mako and even Bandit Keith. She neared the end.

When the penultimate poster turned out to be Mokuba Kaiba she gasped then giggled. My, he_ had_ grown up. _Of course_ he would have a poster. He was probably the main youngster on the duelling scene. He was a Kaiba after all. _And someone had finally convinced him to do something with his hair._ She chuckled.

Her fingers reached for the edge of the frame when all of a sudden she realised that she already knew who was featured on the last poster. He was the only person she hadn't seen yet. And once Mokuba had a poster he would have one too. Her dry palms were suddenly slippery as she inched Mokuba forward. She took a deep breath and prepared herself to look up at the face...

"Hey Yugi!" Swiftly, she whirled around on her toes to meet the familiar voice. It was coming from her right. She stepped quietly up behind the person. She tip-toed slightly to reach the blonde's ear and shouted, "BOO!"

More than one mother moved their child away from their general area after Joey's shout. Anzu was doubling over with mirth while Yugi and Joey both stared at her in amazement. They waited for her to calm down before attacking her. After a few minutes of ecstatic greetings, they settled down in Yugi's office on the second floor which had a full view of the store.

"So what is our infamous dancer doing back here in Domino?" Yugi asked as he fished for drinks at the small bar located in one corner of his office. Anzu looked up at his light tone, wondering why they weren't angrier. She looked at Joey, who she had expected to be furious with her, and found him grinning.

"I guess you read the newspapers then, huh?" she asked. She was hugging herself inconspicuously, pretending to scratch a spot above her elbow. The last thing she needed was for her friends to be upset with her.

"Not really," Joey replied. "It was everywhere. Our little girl has grown up, off to France and _kissing _boys."

"If Kaiba heard you call him a boy, he'd pummel you," Yugi commented laughingly as he handed Anzu her drink. She smiled weakly. Yugi handed Joey his glass then he turned a serious face on Anzu and said, "We're not angry with you, Anzu. You have a right to your privacy and we respect that. I think... we just might have preferred finding out some other way. I spilled my morning orange juice all over myself and I have the stains to prove it."

She sighed into her glass. "Guys, I'm sorry. Really I am. No one was supposed to find out. It's not that I didn't want to tell you because I really wanted you to know... While it lasted it was the best time of my life and I wanted to share some of it with you... I just didn't know how you'd react. Your friendship with Seto–"

For the second time, she found people taken aback by her use of his first name. This time she was going to explain. "We were more than friends, guys... much more. I've been calling him 'Seto' since I was nineteen."

"We noticed Anzu. But you were saying...?" Yugi urged.

"Your friendship with Seto was still rocky and I know _you_," she looked pointedly at Joey, "still didn't trust him much. I didn't – I didn't want to lose what I had with him or what I have with you guys. I thought it was best..."

"We understand, Anzu," Joey said, rubbing her back.

"We talked to Kaiba right after it hit the papers. He told us the whole story," Yugi told her.

"Shizuka told me what happened that night too..." Joey whispered in her ear. She looked up at him, eyes wide. How could she have forgotten? She was being blamed left, right and centre for his sister's loss of a fiancé. "Joey, I didn't–"

He shook his head. "I want to tell you something now, Anzu. I don't mind Yugi hearing this 'cause he's like family to me. Now, I know Kaiba and I don't have the nicest history but... we're friends now. He's a good guy deep down (I think he owes that to you) and I know he hurt you but he didn't mean to. It wasn't _his_ fault."

"Joey, I'm sure that–" Anzu began. She didn't need to hear this from her best friend. However, she was cut off.

"It was _Shizu_ka's fault." Both listeners went quiet. "I'm not proud of having to say this. I'm really disappointed in her for doing this especially since she says she thinks you told her about you two but Anzu, it was _Shizuka's_ fault. The night Kaiba walked into that bar, he woulda walked out sober and faithful if my sister wasn't there. She was with some of her 'friends' from college on a trip. Her punk-ass boyfriend had just broken up with her and she was drunk into next week. They dared her to make a move on Kaiba. They didn't realise that she knew him already. When she said no... I think they drugged her and got her to do it. They gave her some Ecstasy and she put it to good use. He was down in one drink she said."

"He was talking about Shizuka?" Yugi asked wide-eyed. "The girl was Shizuka?" Joey nodded.

"No..." Anzu's voice was choked. "You're lying, right? Joey, _please_ tell me you're lying!"

Both men turned sad eyes on her. "I'm not, Anzu."

She hadn't cried in front of the guys in years. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she realized what had happened. He had _tried_. He really had tried to explain it to her. He had claimed his memory was sketchy and he could _not_ for the life of him remember how he got from point A to point B but she had not believed him. She hadn't even listened. She had been so consumed by the pain of his betrayal that she hadn't heard anything past the 'I slept with her'.

The past three years were painted a completely new colour. It had been _her _fault. She'd evaded everything he had done to explain it up to her, evaded all his attempts to make up with her, and evaded him. All in all, _she_ had been the one to throw it all away. _Seto_ had been the victim not only of Shizuka's friends' cruelty but of _her own_ unyielding rigidity. Anzu was going to throw up.

She groped blindly for a hand to hold, someone to hug. Yugi provided himself. He stroked her head in a fatherly fashion and rocked her back and forth as she chanted over and over again, "I'm such an idiot. Such a fucking idiot."

The fact that she was chanting didn't stun the men as much as the fact that their friend with the squeaky-cleanest mouth was using one of the filthiest words in the dictionary. As they watched her beat herself up they remembered how lost Kaiba had looked when he had told them his side of everything. When Anzu's chanting deteriorated into painful sobs ripped from deep down inside her they glanced at each other at the same time, having arrived at identical conclusions:

_Seto Kaiba and Anzu Mazaki more than loved each other. They **lived** for each other._

* * *

"You're sure you can drive?" Joey asked Anzu as she got into her car. She nodded. He glanced over the top at Yugi who nodded at him. "Then take care, ok."

"I will, Joey."

"Good."

"Yugi?" she called. He stuck his head through the passenger window. She cupped his cheek and whispered, "Thank you." He smiled at her.

The two old friends stood back and watched the third member of their trio speed off down the road. Joey raised and eyebrow at the dust she left in her wake. He turned to his friend. "You think we shoulda let her drive?"

"She's always driven like that Joey. You know that." Yugi began making his way back inside. Joey caught up with him and asked, "Did you do it?"

"Yeah. But do you think it was a good idea? You saw how she reacted to what you told her."

"Yugi, she's not gonna find it anytime soon. And when she does, if she _really_ hates it, she can use it as a dartboard."

"She won't. She loves him."

"Funny huh? How come we never noticed?" Joey questioned suddenly. Yugi considered this for a moment. "I don't know, Joey." The blonde shrugged.

Yugi paused mid-step in front of the posters. He looked up at the poster of his rich friend/ex-rival, the last one in the display. He smirked and asked it:

"_Funny how life works isn't it?"_

* * *

"Thank you again for your time, Mr Kaiba." Seto nodded courteously at the businessman, acknowledging that he had heard him. It wasn't that bad of a proposal actually, and it would be lucrative. However, what Seto had noted most about the meeting were the supposed-to-be-covert looks of interest displayed by all who had been present. It was becoming more than annoying. He was used to people being curious about him. He was accustomed to other businessmen being bowled over by his age but they were often able to brush that aside with ease once Seto had had his say. But recently, that had changed.

For God's sake, there was a limit. So what if he had kissed someone? So what if she just happened to be one of the most beautiful women in Japan? Would they have preferred him to kiss a man? Knowing the human appetite for scandal, they probably would have jumped at a chance to declare that he was gay. People said it was impossible to please everyone. In his opinion, it was impossible to please _anyone._

He sighed as he began to pack his briefcase. It was early yet, just before lunch, but Seto didn't feel like being confined to his office for some reason. He no longer felt the need to be at the office 24/7. He could work just as well at home. Plus, he had made a startling discovery just before he'd gone off to college: His employees were rather well-educated and efficient workers. He did not have to breathe fire down their necks to get them to do a good job. He could take some time off.

As he clicked it shut, he door opened. He looked up, assuming that it was Ashiro, and came across someone else entirely.

"Hi Seto!" she said cheerfully. She was fairly glowing and he took that to mean that she was happy with the way things had turned out for them. "I hope you don't mind that Ms. Ashiro let me in. I'll only take a minute."

He shook his head and blinked, a bit befuddled by her presence. Despite all the problems that they were supposed to have, they seemed to be devoid of any hostile feelings towards each other. After a long phone conversation in which all the dirty laundry was aired and cleaned thoroughly, Seto found himself treating her like an acquaintance – almost like a friend – instead of like the scum of the earth.

A Seto of six years ago may have been set to slaughter her and all her remaining family but he was older now. With age he had gained tolerance and wisdom. He couldn't go around hating everyone. To forgive was best. Besides, she had not been bad company; she had seen him at his very weakest and had not ridiculed him; she had tried to love him; and in his own way, Seto cared for her as a person. He knew that they could never be the best of friends but, as he had said before, there was no hostility.

"No," he replied after a second. "Come in, Shizuka. What do you want?"

She smiled as she approached him when she decided that she was close enough to him to speak without having to pitch her voice, she said, "I was just wondering if you remembered which of your cars I left my Jessica Simpson CD in? If you find it could you return it? I know you don't listen to that kind of music so it should stick out like a sore thumb." She giggled.

He smirked, nodded then asked, "You came all this way to ask if I could look for your CD?"

"Well, I was going to call when I got home but since I was in the area, I decided to stop by. I was wondering how you were doing anyway after, you know... the papers and all." she fidgeted somewhat. She didn't like this topic at all and her sincere discomfort and regret made it easier to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"I'm fine. A bit sick of being gawked at, as I'm sure you are but otherwise, fine."

She beamed at him. "I'm glad." And she really was.

"You look happy, by the way. Devlin is doing right by you I presume."

She had the dignity to blush. "Yeah, he's sweet."

There was an awkward pause and Seto made a mental note not to bring that up again. He asked, "Was there something else?"

She blinked into awareness once again and laughed at herself, "Sorry. Space-case I am. But that was it."

"Then I'll be sure to have Mokuba find your CD."

"Thanks. But won't he mind?"

"It was never anything personal. It was the... idea of you. It could have been anyone and they would have gotten the same reaction."

"You two look great together, you know – you and Anzu," she commented. Seto wasn't sure how to answer that so he shrugged. "Anyway, I'll see you around, Seto."

He stood and picked up his briefcase. "I was on my way out."

The innate etiquette that so many admired had him holding the door open when he set eyes on the person standing in front of Ashiro.

_Life really was ironic._

* * *

"Anzu?"

Shizuka sounded sceptical but Seto knew instantly that that was the famed dancer. She looked beautiful against the backdrop of the clear sky through the window. However, he could see that she was trying to be incognito.

Her now nearly waist-length luxuriant brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail that was threaded through a khaki cap yet it sparkled in the light. Her beautiful blue eyes were shadowed by the lowered forest green visor and further hidden behind almost opaque sunshades. Her perfect body was the only thing not trying to conceal itself. She wore extraordinarily baggy cargo pants (also khaki) but a fitted yellow baby-doll tee-shirt that hugged her upper body and hinted at the curve of her hips. When she turned to face them, he saw the green logo of the _Rain Forest Café _(1) splayed across her chest. Her sandals were forest green to match the bag and jewellery and were peeking out from under the hem of her trousers. He smirked when she wiggled her toes.

"Hey Shizuka."

"What- ?" The redhead paused mid-question. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," she said and Seto could have sworn that she had glanced at him. "You?"

"I'm great. Duke and I are really happy."

Her confusion was too blatant. _Someone tell me that they told her_, Seto thought to himself. He did not want to have to explain his break up to her. The reasons behind it were exactly what she had demanded he avoid during their last meeting. But then again, maybe she was just thrown by the Devlin/Shizuka affair and not the actual break-up.

"Duke?" Now he knew her eyes were on him. He wanted to rip those glasses off her face so that he could see them. "You're with... Duke?"

"Yeah. Didn't you know?"

"No, actually. I didn't."

"Well, now you do. Anyway, gotta run guys. I'll see you guys around." And with that she was gone. Ashiro cleared her throat and excused herself, claiming that it was her lunch hour. Both of them realized that she was giving them their privacy but her argument was legitimate. When she was nowhere in sight, Seto turned to Anzu.

"Into the office?" he suggested. She nodded. Once they had stepped into the significantly darker room, she reached up and removed the glasses. When they were seated in opposite armchairs in one corner of the office, he said, "Yugi told me you'd arrived."

"He didn't tell me that she was with Duke," she retorted.

"That wasn't the real reason we broke up, it just made it much easier for me. She was very good about it."

"She's a good girl, you know."

"I know." Then he sat back with his left ankle resting on his right knee, waiting patiently for her to say what she had come to say. Anzu had been the one to show up in his office and therefore, technically, the ball was in her court. He was just waiting for her to serve. _Sports analogies? _But the fact was: everything was in her hands.

As he waited for her to end her battle with herself, he fiddled aimlessly with the edge of his dark green trench coat (the same he had worn to break up with Shizuka). It wasn't a conspicuous action – barely more than running his nail over the cloth for a few millimetres – but it was there and it meant that he was nervous. Her right foot shook in a steady rhythm in the air and he knew he was not alone in his state of being.

_Then they looked at each other and laughed. _

* * *

"Listen Seto, like I said before, we can't go back. I know what really happened that night and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you when you tried to tell me but I was justified. If I had cheated on you, you would have done the same thing or worse," she looked at him and he conceded with a nod. "I had every right to be angry with you. I had told you that I wouldn't stay with a man who cheated on me so you had warning."

She sighed and looked at her hands that were tightly laced in her lap. "We both screwed up. We can't go back and we can't just pick up and move on from anywhere."

He knew the path this conversation led down. He was preparing himself to hear her say that they were over forever once again and some enraged and bitter part of him asked why she felt she needed to come all this way to repeat it. Did she think he was stupid? That he didn't get it the first time? Did she like rubbing it in his face? And yet that same part cried out for her just as much as all the rest of him. With his hopes in the gutter, he listened.

"I think that... I might have been... a bit too... _hasty_... in France. I said we can't start over but you're my friend, Seto. You were one of my _best _friends... One of things I mourned most about our break-up was the loss of that friendship because I know how precious it is. It's one of the hardest things I ever worked at gaining and I lost it... We were both wrong and we both hurt each other. And even though I know this probably sounds utterly ridiculous, I want to be your friend again, Seto. We can't undo the pain we put each other through but we can try to rebuild the trust we lost and we can try to make up for some of the hurt. We can – I'm babbling, aren't I?"

She flushed prettily and for the first time in months Seto smiled, practically on the verge of grinning till his face spilt. This was more than he had dared hope for. This was a second chance, an opportunity to regain her trust and perhaps, eventually, her heart. And it was all being handed to him a silver platter. There were some things he expected to receive in this manner taking into account the fact that he was who he was, but _this_... this was not one of them.

He caught her gaze and replied, _"Friends are supposed to listen aren't they?"_

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note:** Ok, there you go. We've gotten them back in the same room. Hopefully, we can get them back together! Now, I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with the language in this chapter. I know that Seto was a bit out of character in the fact that he did not murder Shizuka for what she did but I don't like the demented image of Seto portrayed in the manga. I prefer the anime. And this Seto is my version of the anime-Seto grown up.

About the pairings, I am a Joey/Mai shipper but I've had a fascination with the **Marik/Mai** pairing since day one. And as I was reading the manga, Miho stuck me as the type of girl that Yugi would do well with. I like her.

**Kasumi and Shigeru **are based on, as you may have guessed, Kasumi/Misty and Shigeru/Gary from Pokémon. I'm a die-hard Egoshipper -!

In case you haven't noticed, I've also tried to redeem Shizuka's character somewhat since I don't **totally** hate her.

**SHAMELESS PLUG** for **Feel Beautiful:** It's a small one-shot I did for **Meena, the Meaner** on her birthday (August 12th). I'm a review junkie, support my habit.

A small note of **explanation:**

**Rain Forest Café **– I have no idea if they actually have a yellow t-shirt that looks like this but they do have a beautiful green logo. And good food.

And now, to reply to a few interesting **comments and questions**:

**(1) Winterwing3000 **– In proper **English**, pyjamas is spelt with a 'y' but in America, the accepted spelling uses an 'a'. Thanks for the review though!

**(2) Nightengale13 **– Yeah, basically, he was date-raped. Sad isn't it? I'm not sure whether or not to take to soap-opera thing as a compliment or a criticism but rest assured; no demonic possession here -! Thank you for the lovely – verbose – reviews on both this and **'Feel Beautiful'**. Question: Since I live in a totally deprived country, HOW WAS THE MOVIE?

**(3) Svelte Rose **– If you read, you'll see that Shizuka and Seto slept together the weekend **before** Anzu found out. And he also explained why he asked about Shizuka later. But thanks for the great review!

**Disclaimer (for series): **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and make no profit off this piece of fiction.

**Disclaimer (for song):** I do not own the song **How Can We be Lovers?** by **Michael Bolton**. The lyrics are reprinted without permission and, once again, I make no profit off their use. I think it captures the implied **feeling** of the chapter.

**LEAVE A REVIEW PLEASE! ANYTHING IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WILL BE TAKEN IN BETTER STRIDE THAN FLAMES.**


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